Facing the Future
by GVLuver
Summary: There aren't many things I find hard to believe, but when I suddenly found myself in a world I never thought I would see, or actually meet the man I have coveted my whole life, I started thinking that maybe...just maybe, there were things in the Universe that I just couldn't comprehend. This story is a collaboration with ShadowoftheBlackDeath. Raditz/OC
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

In a room full of anime posters, stood a bed far away from the window. In the bed laid a body covered by two blankets. A hand stuck out from the side while a foot stuck out over the edge at the back.

Next to the bed stood a small table with on that table a; you guessed it… an alarm clock. Which read 7:05. At exactly 06 the alarm blared loudly which made the body move, groan and grunt. The hand that stuck out of the covers felt on the table for the clock. When the hand found it, it balled into a fist and hit the clock dead on the top, making the clock stop its blaring. A big lump of dark brown hair full of tangles and knots poked out from under the covers and glared sleepily at the little clock. Her hand moved some hair out of the way, revealing the face of a young woman of nineteen. Her vivid green eyes first glared at the clock and then stared tiredly before she climbed out of bed and stretched a bit. Her eyes stared lazily around the room.

The teen then calmly picked up a bottle of lemonade and took a big swig of it. She then proceeded to stand up and dressed herself. A shiver wracked her body from the cool air in the room. She glanced out of the window.

A bright full moon was shining meaning that the sun wasn't up yet. Another cold shiver ran down her body, causing goosebumps to appear over her arms. She looked outside and smiled slightly

"Seems it's gonna be a dry morning today." she mumbled while brushing her hair and shuffled her feet in a pair of sneakers.

"Too bad it's October otherwise I would've opened the window." she muttered darkly. She was not a fan of cold.

Athea, as the girl was called, was your normal, average girl that was very much addicted to her PC and anime. So the first thing she normally did on every morning was starting her computer. Pressing the power-button, she watched and listened to the computer powering up.

Sadly not a moment after she set it on it turned back off. Athea blinked lazily and frowned softly.

"That's strange…" she mumbled a bit slurred from the morning weariness and pushed it again only to have it happen again.

An annoyed sigh escaped her lips and she glared at the computer. "Don't tell me it's broken again. I just got it fixed two months ago." she whined to herself and gave it a gentle hit on the top while turning the power on again.

Instead of the computer turning on, a big dark blue purple-like vortex opened up behind her. She heard items rattling behind her and turned around.

Her eyes widened when she saw the thing.

"What the hell?!" she yelped while she stood up, trying immediately to get away from it. She was happy she had her desk placed next to the door to her room. Otherwise she might have had some problems.

She immediately tried to run but the vortex sucked her in before she could grab the doorknob. Athea felt like she was falling without ending.


	2. Chapter 2

Facing the Future

Chapter 2

All she could feel is the sensation of falling. There was no up or down, left or right. She was just falling into nothing, and she didn't think she would ever feel solid ground again. She couldn't see, which was ironic because her eyes were wide open. There was nothing to stop her descent, nothing to halt her thrust downward. Was she ever going to feel solid-

THUD!

A grunt came out of her as she slammed the ground, her breath momentarily leaving her. Athea lay there, staring unseeing at the sky, shock and shortness of breath halting her thinking for a moment. A breath suddenly left her, and she groaned. She rolled onto her side slowly, every muscle in her body aching. It felt like she'd been hit by a semi-truck...repeatedly. She closed her eyes, taking a huge breath before struggling to her knees. Her head started pounding, the pressure almost making her fall back to the dirt underneath her. She squeezed her eyes shut, pinching the bridge of her nose before slowly opening them again. She briefly glanced around, swallowing with difficulty as she stared at the surrounding forest around her. How the hell did she get outside anyways!? Where did her computer take her!? She bit back a sob, letting her head falling dejectedly for several minutes before sniffling and attempting to stand. A small sigh of relief left her as the pressure in her head alleviated a little, the blood rushing away from her brain. She could almost feel the relief. Athea glanced down at herself, pausing for a moment to take in the tattered condition of her clothing. Her shirt and pants were ripped and shredded. The damn things looked like she had a fight with a cat! And the cat won! She bit her lip so hard she almost drew blood, wincing a little as she sighed again. She glanced around her once more, taking a hesitant step forward before steadying herself and walking a little more purposefully towards the trees. Athea stopped right before entering, looking back behind her to where she landed. The only indication that she had even been there was the slightly bent grass, the shape of a body outlined on the ground. That is if she squinted her eyes. Athea swallowed again, feeling tears threatening to spill over. She cleared her throat, trying to tamp them down. She took a deep breath as she looked forward again, staring into the foliage for a moment before disappearing into the forest.

XXX

She finally came upon a small house, after walking for what seemed like hours. Taking a deep breath of relief, she quickened her pace, noticing the smoke coming from the chimney of the quaint little house. A feeling of deja vu swept over her, making her furrow her brows a little. She knew this house. But from where? Athea eyed it as she made it to the front door, lifting her hand and knocking softly. She swallowed, the smell of food cooking making her mouth water. She had to quickly wipe her mouth as she heard footsteps heading towards the front of the house. What sounded like conversation was heard through the door, the sound of a males voice making her heart thud. Suddenly feeling a little queasy and not knowing why, she took a shuddering breath. Her focus zeroed in on the door as it was jerked open. All thoughts blanked out, her heart beating overtime as she stared into the eyes of the man standing in the doorway, a small smile on his face. His eyes questioned her, as the silenced lengthened between them. She opened her mouth, but no sound would come out. Her eyes widened even more as the man took a step towards her. She watched him tilt his head, his brows furrowing a little as she stayed mute. Her lungs were screaming for air, but its like she couldn't function! She couldn't get passed the presence of the man standing before her, someone that shouldn't even exist! She heard more footsteps as her vision started to blacken, little spots appearing before her eyes. Athea couldn't look away from him, almost hoping that maybe this was an illusion, that maybe she had bonked her head or something and that she would wake up in her room. A harsh breath finally passed her lips as her eyes rolled up into the back of her head.

"What's going on? Who's that Goku?"

That's the last coherent thing Athea heard before her world went black.

XXX

She could here someone talking softly as she slowly regained consciousness. Athea slowly opened her eyes, blinking up at the ceiling for a moment before hesitantly glancing around. She swallowed, looking around the living room before her eyes settled on the couple seated by the fireplace, their heads almost touching as they spoke softly to one another. Athea shuddered a little, feelings of trepidation going through her. How in the world did she get here? And why here of all places? She looked back up at the ceiling, her mind racing. Was her mother looking for her right this minute? Was she freaking out, or had she not even noticed her daughter was gone!? Athea closed her eyes, swallowing again as her head started pounding once more. They flew open a moment later at the sound of clothes rustling. She gasped softly, her eyes wide. Goku was standing beside the couch, looking down at her with worried eyes. ChiChi appeared moments later, pushing the big saiyan out of the way. The woman leaned forward and felt her forehead.

"Are you okay? You kind of scared us when you fainted!"

All Athea could do is nod, still not being able to utter a word. She figured it was due to shock, because she wasn't afraid of them. Okay, so she was afraid of being in a different world, and how she got here in the first place, but she wasn't afraid of ChiChi or Goku. Not in a million years! She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath before she tried to speak.

"I..." she bit her lip for a second before continuing. "I don't know why I fainted. Must be due to shock and lack of food," she finished, a small nervous laugh coming out of her.

She watched ChiChi straighten, the woman's eyebrows narrowing. ChiChi put her hands on her hips.

"Well," the loud woman said, "lucky for you I was just about to serve supper! You're welcome to join us if you want." ChiChi studied her for a moment, making Athea blush slightly under the scrutiny. Goku still hadn't said anything.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" she asked, her gaze unwavering as Athea sat up, scooting back a little and staring at the couch cushion for a moment.

"My name's Athea," she said softly, licking her lips in nervousness. She was feeling a little light headed, and butterflies where furiously fluttering in her stomach. She looked up after a few moments of silence. ChiChi was studying her, the woman's brows furrowed a little.

"Where's your parents?" the woman asked, perching on the cushion next to her.

Athea cleared her throat, shifting a little in apprehension. "They're not here," she explained softly, briefly glancing at the woman beside her before letting her gaze slide away. A grunt escaped her as arms suddenly wrapped around her, squeezing.

"Oh you poor girl!" ChiChi screeched in her ear. Athea winced a little. "To be all alone in the world and not have anyone to take care of you!"

Athea opened her mouth to correct her, but didn't get a chance. The woman grabbed her hand and practically jerked her off the couch, dragging her behind her as she left the living room. Athea heard Goku slowly follow, his footfalls a little stronger than his wife's. She was pushed into a chair a moment later, opening her mouth again to straighten out this little misunderstanding.

"I-"

She was stopped yet again, a bowl of rice and a fillet of fish was set before her, ChiChi thrusting a spoon into her hand. Athea looked up, her mouth open to speak the words right on her tongue.

"Now I don't want you wasting time talking to me! Eat! You look like you haven't had anything in days!" ChiChi turned from her and marched to her husband. Athea sighed as she looked back down at her plate, wincing a little as her stomach growled. She chanced a glance back at the couple. ChiChi was pushing Goku out of the room, telling him to go wash up before coming to the table. Athea pinched her lips together to keep from laughing out loud at the sight, her cheeks puffed out a little as she tried to contain her giggle. She succeeded in dispelling it, clearing her throat.

"ChiChi," she finally got out, watching the woman turn towards her, lifting a questionable brow. Athea bit her lip in hesitation for a moment before slowly telling the woman the truth.

"I have parents," she stated softly, "but..." She paused, not sure how to put into words what happened to her only a few short hours ago. She let out a breath, setting her spoon down and rubbing her hands together. "I...I don't know how I got here," she finally said, not meeting the woman's eyes. "I was in my room, and this whirring hole opened up and sucked me in."

Athea swallowed before looking up, meeting ChiChi's gaze before her attention moved behind her, to where Goku was standing. He was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, his brows furrowed. He was frowning. Athea felt her heart skip a beat, looking back down. She could feel nervousness creeping down her spine at the look both adults were giving her. They obviously thought she was crazy! She took another breath before opening her mouth again.

"I'm not crazy you guys! I..." she paused, licking her suddenly dry lips. "I don't know why I was sent here." Her brows furrowed for a moment. "Maybe..." she spoke softly, mostly to herself. "I was sent here to help with future events."

"What do you mean?" Goku asked softly, speaking for the first time since she appeared on his doorstep. He slowly walked over, stopping beside his wife, who was surprisingly silent.

Athea glanced from one to the other, hesitating slightly before sighing in defeat. _Might as well tell them!_ She closed her eyes for a second, before opening them again and meeting Goku's eyes.

"I know what's going to happen soon," she said softly, "I know what's going to happen with you and Gohan-"

"How do you know my sons' name?" ChiChi asked loudly, her eyes widening. A hand came up and clutched her shirt, her gaze never wavering from Athea.

"I know a lot of things," Athea exclaimed, "I know that Gohan wears a hat with the four star dragonball on top of it, belonging to your grandpa Goku. I know that your brother," her voice softened, and she paused, swallowing before continuing. "He's coming here soon."

"I have a brother!?" Goku asked excitedly, a smile forming on his lips.

Athea nodded, not sure if she should tell him Raditz intentions or not. She studied the ground for a moment before looking back up at them.

"I mean no harm in coming here," she stated, meeting both their eyes. "I think that maybe I could help in a lot of ways, seeing as how I know what's going to happen."

"Like what?" ChiChi asked, crossing her arms.

Athea fidgeted a little under the woman's scrutiny.

"Um...that there's going to be some epic battles happening in your lives very soon. It's going to open up a whole other world for you," she said, looking at Goku. "You're going to become insanely strong just to fight off this evil that plagues earth, and your going to learn a lot about yourself that you never even knew."

She paused for a minute, taking in the silence in the kitchen before continuing.

"I know what's going to happen in years to come, and its going to be difficult and scary, but I would gladly stay by your sides and help anyway I can."

No one spoke after she finished, and Athea could feel them analyzing her, wandering if she was lying or not.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" ChiChi asked, her eyes narrowing.

Athea swallowed, not sure how to answer that. She kept her gaze on the floor, shuffling her feet a little.

"She's telling the truth."

At the sound of Goku's voice she looked up, meeting the tall man's eyes. A small smile graced his lips, and his face was once again clear and 'innocent'. ChiChi looked at him for a moment, her brows furrowing even more.

"How do you know that Goku? She could be lying to try to buddy up to us or get money, which of course we don't have!"

A small chuckle escaped Goku as he rubbed the back of his head, sending his wife a smile.

"I just do," he stated, looking back at Athea. "I can sense that she's not lying."

Athea listened to ChiChi humph, before going to the stove and stirring whatever was in the pots. The woman glanced over her shoulder at her, before turning back to her task.

"Eat before it gets any colder," ChiChi said, not turning around.

Athea did as she was told, picking up her spoon and taking a big bite of her food. She looked up as Goku sat across from her, a blush rising on her face as he shot her a smile before digging into his own plate. Athea stared, wide eyed, as he shoveled food into his mouth, seeming not to stop to take a breath! She had only taken a few bites when he started on his second plate, not even looking up when Gohan came in and sat at the table.

"Hi," the boy said, peeking up at her from underneath his lashes.

Athea smiled, holding out her hand. She shook hands with Gohan, saying her own hellos before turning back to her food. Gohan glanced at her throughout the meal, his face innocent and full of curiosity. Athea could feel the smile spreading on her face, looking from one person to another. How did she get the chance to meet the greatest fighters in the world? No! The universe! She felt privileged just sitting here with them, even if neither one of them knew the extent of their power just yet. Her smile turned into a grin, looking back over at Gohan. She suddenly felt so giddy she wanted to start clapping and jumping up and down! But she refrained. She didn't want to look stupid in front of them after all! She peeked at Goku and Gohan again, who were oblivious as they both ate at an astounding rate. She could tell Gohan was only four years old or so. Her heart thudded, thinking about this part of the series.

Raditz was due to arrive any day!

XXX

~Chapter written by GVLuver~


	3. Chapter 3

Recap: _Raditz was due to arrive any day!_

XXX

_What should I do? Raditz could arrive any moment!_ she thought and bit her lip anxiously. She tried to keep her face relaxed but it mustn't have worked as Goku looked up at her with curiosity. He swallowed the food in his mouth while cocking his head in true Son-style. "Are you okay? You look kinda worried." he asked curiously. Athea couldn't stop her body from flinching and quickly put up a fake smile.

"N-no! Nothing's wrong! I-I'm just…" she trailed off, not knowing how to continue the lie.

She could already tell from herself that she was lying, if her stuttering was anything to go by. Goku must've noticed also because his face turned serious. "If something's wrong you can tell me, Athea." he told her seriously. She shifted in her place while Gohan, who had stopped eating, was now watching her, also curious. "Well, that brother I told you about?… Eh, he isn't so nice as you think." she said reluctantly which made Goku blink before he frowned. "He's not?" he asked with a hint of suspicion. "You mean he's a bully?" asked Gohan cutely which made Athea feel bad. She didn't want to tell it with the boy around.

She opened her mouth to say something just when Chichi came walking back into the room.

All three of them turned to her and flinched at her glare. "I don't know what you guys are talking about but I want those plates empty, now!" she turned to Athea who tensed under her gaze. "You! Stop distracting my son from his food!" she ordered and Athea tensed. "Yes ma'am!" she replied automatically.

Chichi turned to Gohan "As for you, I want all those vegetables gone from your plate! You're still growing and vegetables are good for the mind. Also, after dinner I want you to immediately go upstairs and do your homework!" she ordered and Gohan nodded "Yes mom." he said almost robotically.

Athea felt bad. On television the woman seemed like a slave-driver even if she did it for a good cause.

She winced when she saw Gohan look down at his plate and started eating again.

"That goes for you too, young lady! I want that plate clean of food, got it?!" she bossed and Athea gulped "Yes ma'am." she said again.

Nodding, Chichi turned to Goku "As for you, I want you to go in bath after you're done. You smell awful." she pointed out and turned around and left for the kitchen again.

Athea sweatdropped. _That woman gives the term slave-driver a whole new meaning_ she thought before she started eating again. The boys did the same.

Seems nobody wanted, or rather, _dared_ to protest against her.

When they were finished did Goku and Gohan do what they were told and left Athea alone.

"This is awkward." she mumbled while rubbing her arm before gathering her plate and went to the kitchen.

Chichi was already cleaning. "Eh, do you… maybe… need help?" she asked softly to the busy woman.

Chichi turned around and glared at her before her eyes softened a bit. "Sure. Put the plates over there," she pointed to a stack of plates "And over there is a towel. You can help dry the dishes as I wash them." she told her.

Athea's eye twitched. _Chichi sure knows how to use someone's help._

Shaking her head, the teen put her plate on the stack and grabbed the towel.

Together, the two women started cleaning the dishes in silence.

_Awkward_ she thought a bit troubled, while she felt the tension building.

_Chichi isn't even trying and already I'm feeling tension_. She thought a bit annoyed while she put away a few cups.

It took them about half an hour to wash, dry and put everything away. Once they were done did Athea fled to the living room. She wanted to get away from Chichi and the tension as fast as possible.

In that whole half an hour had she regretted the fact that she offered her help.

Normally she liked to help, but the tension made it _unbearable_.

She had just sat down when Goku came walking into the room. His hair was wet and dripping a bit while a towel was around his neck.

He wore a white shirt that hid nothing of his muscles. He had combined it with a pair of sweatpants but no shoes.

She blushed bright red at seeing his muscles and turned her face away.

_Damn those saiyans for being so hot!_ She thought half-joking, half-serious.

Goku saw her sitting and walked over to the couch. "Hey there! Wanna take a walk?" he asked friendly while pointing his thumb to the door.

Despite his words being friendly, the look he gave her wasn't. He had a serious look in his eyes.

Nodding, she stood up and the two walked out of the house. "Chichi! Me and Athea are gonna take a walk, okay? Bye!" he called and took off before the woman could retort while throwing his towel away.

She had no doubt that Chichi would have probably protested.

From the tension that came in the kitchen between them, it hadn't been too hard for her to figure out that Chichi didn't trust her. Even a fool could see that.

Once they were a bit away turned Goku his attention to her. "So, about my brother." he started with a serious face.

Athea flinched. _Not again!_ Although she had already known that he would ask again.

"Y-yeah, your brother." she stuttered slightly and looked away.

"He is gonna be trouble, isn't he?" asked Goku rhetorically.

She bit her lip and looked to the side. "Yeah. At first he's gonna be all, sort of happy to see you but then…" she trailed off while a frown appeared on her face.

How was she going to explain to him that his brother wanted him to kill innocent people? That he would kidnap his son?

"Athea…" she looked up at him when she heard his tone of voice. He looked at her very seriously. "Please tell me what's going to happen. Is it really that bad?" he asked worriedly.

She frowned and nodded with a wince. "…Yeah. He's gonna demand why you haven't destroyed every living thing on this planet yet. He's also afterwards gonna take Gohan away from you to hold him hostage, in return that you kill a hundred humans." she explained while leaving some of the details out.

She didn't want to tell him about his alien heritage yet.

Even if it will be a harsh way that he was gonna find out about it, it's better that he finds out from his brother then from hers.

Goku stopped dead in his tracks. "What?! No way?! That's horrible! Why would he want me to do something so terrible? And what do you mean 'kill every living thing on this planet'?" he questioned while he stared at her.

Athea stopped a few steps further and turned to him.

Damn, Goku was way more perceptive then he looked.

"Let's just say it has something to do with your heritage." she said softly while wringing her hands nervously.

She didn't know how much she could actually tell them.

Who knew what would happen. Hell, everything could've already changed with her arrival.

What if Raditz would instead come with Nappa and Vegeta at his side? What if they would kill Goku instead of questioning him?

So many questions rang through her head, it made her slightly dizzy.

"Hey," a hand fell on her shoulder, making her jump "You okay? You look a bit pale." asked Goku concerned.

She looked up at his face and clenched her fists while turning her gaze to the side.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything else." she looked him back in the eye "Please, just… trust me when I…" she trailed off. Should she say more? Or should she let Goku figure it all out on his own?

_I'll give him one more hint but that's all. If I tell more it might jeopardize everything. I can't let that happen._

"When what?" he urged her gently.

"When Piccolo comes, team up with him. It'll make things easier." she told him a bit cryptically.

Goku was a bit confused by her words but tensed when she said his name. "Piccolo? You mean he's alive?!" he asked surprised and worried to which Athea nodded. "Yeah, don't ask me how. I'm not sure either." she told him, which was the truth. She hadn't watched the first episodes of Goku growing up in ages. The only thing she knew was that Piccolo was alive.

A silence fell over them quickly. "Wow. So what? He's gonna be a one of the good guys then?" he asked curiously which made her jump. She hadn't really expected him to talk. "Yeah, slowly but surely." she trailed off, not sure what to say next.

Her memories went back to Raditz and she gasped. "Oh! I forgot! When are you and Gohan going to master Roshi's house?" she asked which made him blink in surprise. "Wow! Talk about random but to answer your question; I was thinking of going tomorrow. So that he could finally meet the gang." he told her.

She gaped at him. "Tomorrow?!" she asked surprised. She had been right when she guessed that Raditz would arrive any time soon. Just not _that_ soon. "Yeah! What about it?" he asked and she gave him a nervous smile. "Nothing! I was just wondering if I could come with you?" she asked him, hoping to distract him. It worked. Goku blinked before he smiled widely "Sure. I don't mind. And I'm pretty sure the rest of the gang would be happy to meet you.". She smiled at this and nodded.

The two turned and slowly walked back to the house. Another silence fell over them. Athea fidgeted with the edge of her shirt. It was then she noticed the state of her clothes.

They were still torn!

"Oh! Goku…" she trailed off, she didn't want to ask him but she didn't have a choice. She swallowed.

"Eh… could you guys, maybe… I don't know eh…. Lend me some clothes? Mine are a torn." she told him while motioning to her clothes. Goku noticed and hummed. "Wow! You look like me when I came back from the battle with King Piccolo." he pointed out which made her blush.

If she knew one thing about all his fights, it was that he _always_ came out with clothes ripped up so badly that they looked like they barely held together.

"Yeah. When I woke up here my clothes where like this and I don't exactly have money to buy new ones." she told him

"Not that I know where the nearest town is, for that matter." she mumbled the last part but Goku caught it.

He chuckled at her words. She was amusing, he had to admit that.

The duo walked back into the house only to be met with a waiting Chichi. Goku waved. "Oh hey Chi! What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

Chichi glared at him. "Why did you two walk outside like that?" she demanded to know and Goku shrugged. "We were just talking." he told her in a simple tone. Chichi tried to glare but gave up after a moment. She just couldn't stay mad at him.

"Oh! Before I forget; I was wondering if you could lend her some of our clothes? Hers are kinda ripped up." he asked while rubbing the back of his head while laughing goofily. Athea found it oddly amusing.

Chichi turned her gaze to the other woman and looked at her clothes. "Oh dear! Look at those! What have you done to your clothes, honey? They're all ripped up!" she fussed in a bossy tone. Athea winced. "Eh, I kinda woke up in them like that." she told her honestly but shyly. This woman made her nervous.

"Well that won't do! Come with me! I'll give you some clothes to wear tonight. You can sleep on the couch and tomorrow I'll lend you some of my old clothes." she ordered while grabbing the young woman's wrist and practically dragged her up the stairs.

Athea tried to tell her she didn't need to do that.

She didn't want to impose more then she already was. But Chichi didn't want to hear it. She pushed some old clothes of Goku in the woman's hands and pushed her into the bathroom.

Athea redressed herself and couldn't help but take in Goku's scent. _He smells like the forest and something else. Don't know what the smell is but it's delicious._ She thought and blushed. She forced herself to a stop and came out of the bathroom. She didn't need them catching her sniffing his clothing. It would certainly give a strange sight.

"Ah! There you are!" came Chichi's voice. Athea tensed before her wrist was once again grabbed and she was dragged down the stairs. "The blankest are already on the couch along with a pillow.

Me and Goku and Gohan are always going to bed early and you are too. You had a rough day and you need your rest." ordered the woman while pushing her down on the couch with the help of her amazing strength.

Athea opened her mouth to thank her but Chichi seemed to have sensed that. "No need to thank me, just go to bed, young lady." she told her before turning off the lights and went upstairs with Goku.

She sweatdropped. _That woman is scary._ She thought before she crawled under the blankets and slowly fell asleep.

The next morning she woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon. She groggily sat up and winced when her face came straight up in a bright ray of the sun. Grumbling, she resisted the urge to get back to sleep. Her mind was working on where she was. How could she smell eggs and bacon when she slept on the first floor?

Then, all the memories of the previous day came rushing back to her and her eyes snapped open.

Which she regretted to do when the sunlight hit her eyes. Hissing, she turned away only to gasp and jump in surprise when she saw Gohan sitting next to her, looking at her with a cute smile. "Hi there! Good morning! How was your night?" he asked excited. It made her forget her morning mood.

She gave him a groggy smile "Good." she said softly, her voice cracking slightly. "Oh hey! Finally awake huh?" asked Goku when he saw her walk to the table. "Yeah." she mumbled and sat down. Despite knowing she was in a different world now, her mind wasn't fully awake yet and hadn't clicked yet on the fact she sat at a different table. Just when a plate with eggs and bacon was set down in front of her, it all clicked.

She gasped.

"Oh! I'm sorry! How rude of me." she mumbled and went to stand up but a hand on her shoulder easily pushed her back down. "You're not going anywhere, young lady! First you're going to eat breakfast and then I'm going to give you some clothes to get dressed. And no excuses!" came the bossy voice of Chichi next to her ear.

She nodded tensely "Yes ma'am." she mumbled before she relaxed when she felt the hand on her shoulder leave her.

Goku and Gohan were already eating their breakfast, gobbling everything down with much speed and little manners.

_I wonder if I could stick my finger inbetween the food and their mouths?_ She thought absently before mentally shaking her head. That wouldn't be a good idea to do so.

After breakfast had Chichi given her some old clothes of herself for Athea to wear.

For the next couple of hours did Athea help Chichi with the dishes and other chores while Goku went into the forest with Gohan to get a tree for some firewood.

The tension between the two women had lessened and for that, Athea was glad. Chichi and herself made small talk with eachother about random things. Mostly about her own world and the differences.

When the Goku and Gohan returned it was high noon and time to leave for Master Roshi.

Goku and Gohan already sat on the little cloud; Flying Nimbus.

Athea remembered in the back of her mind that the cloud only let people on it that had never lied. She winced. She had for sure lied _at least_ once. Goku noticed her hesitation. "Eh, Athea? What's wrong?" he asked "Yeah? Don't you wanna meet the others?" questioned Gohan.

Athea bit her lip and nodded "Yeah, but… I eh… haven't always told the truth in my life. And from what I remember you had to be completely honest to be able to ride on Nimbus." she told them a bit hesitantly. Gohan blinked along with Goku before the latter nodded in understanding.

"I understand." he said and jumped off the cloud. He turned around so his back was to her and crouched down. "You can get on my back. You'll just have to fly with me then." he told her which made her blink before she shyly climbed on his back. "You good?" he questioned to which she nodded. "Alright. Here we go!" he said before he and Nimbus took off to master Roshi's house.

It took almost an hour of flying before they were finally there. When they landed did Goku let her down and she wobbly climbed off of his back.

She was happy she had opted for putting her hair in a ponytail or else it would've looked like a rat's nest by now.

"Hey! Is anyone home?" called Goku out. Athea wringed her hands nervously and glanced over her shoulder at the sea. _Any moment Raditz could arrive! What am I gonna do? I can't let him take Gohan, but… I don't wanna see him die either._ She thought to herself worriedly. She had a soft spot for the long-haired saiyan. He may be an ass but he was cute. While her mind was thinking about the saiyan, the rest of Goku's friends had already came outside. Introductions were made until Bulma pointed her out. "And who's this young lady?" asked Bulma curiously while Goku put a hand on Athea's shoulder.

"This here is Athea, she's a friend of mine." he told her. Athea blinked while her gaze fell on the rest of the group that was staring at her. Her face grew bright red. "Sorry! Nice meeting you!" she squeaked while bowing her head and taking a step back.

She was never good with so much attention. It unnerved her how people always stared at her. Bulma smiled.

"No need to be shy. I'm Bulma!" she said with a smile while sticking her hand out. Athea looked at the hand and shyly shook it. "Nice to meet you." she said softly. Bulma giggled while Goku grinned along with the others. Roshi then came walking up to her with a leer on his face.

His gaze trained on her breasts instead of her face. "Yeah, I would love to meet these two beauties here, hehehe-… ow!" he said with a perverted smile before Bulma hit him over the head with her fist. Her eye twitched in annoyance while she glared at the old man. "Perverted old man." she grumbled making Athea giggle softly but she had to agree with her.

The man was a pervert. A big one.

"So, how did you and Goku meet?" she asked in a friendly tone. Athea tensed. "Eh, well, he found me in the woods, really." she said quickly with a bit of hesitance. She didn't want to tell them the truth. It might end badly for them.

The group turned their attention quickly back to Gohan again and started questioning Goku about him.

Athea tuned them out as her thoughts drifted back to Goku's brother.

_What should I do? I can't let him kidnap Gohan like that._ She thought absently before she got an idea. _That's it! I'll just keep Gohan away from Raditz' sight and he won't notice the tail! It's perfect!_ She thought and smiled happily.

She then heard Roshi laughing loudly and blinked before staring at him. She saw him looking at something a bit further behind her and followed his gaze.

Gohan's face was covered by foam from the little crab on the turtle's back.

"Watch out! He might pinch ya, Gohan!" called Roshi out.

"That crab is a mighty sore loser!" said the man with a chuckle. Gohan giggled and ran back to Goku again.

Bulma saw the dragonball on Gohan's hat and asked about it.

Athea tuned them out once again, the conversation was starting to get a bit boring.

It's fun to meet the Z-fighters in person but she felt a bit put aside.

Although she could understand that. She was, after all, a stranger to them.

She then saw Krillin pick up a pebble and throw it to the sea. It skipped over the water quite a few times and went far. Athea turned around and watched Goku pick up his pebble.

"Come to think of it; I don't really want anything." commented Goku casually before he threw the pebble. Everyone watched in surprise as the pebble flew at high speed far away and out of sight.

Goku twisted his wrist a few times while Krillin smiled up at him. "You're still one bad dude, Goku." commented Krillin friendly.

Suddenly, Goku's face turned serious and his whole body tensed.

Athea immediately knew what was coming. _Oh no! Already? This is bad._ She thought a bit panicked while she watched the rest also become serious. "Goku?" questioned the others while Goku looked around. "There's something bad, heading straight for us." he said while looking straight at sea.

"What? Are you sure Goku?" questioned Bulma worriedly. "I'm positive." said the man serious. Athea wanted to grab Gohan and hide in the house. But she knew that wouldn't work.

"I've never felt a power like this before." said Goku "Yeah, I feel it too." agreed Krillin while he too looked around. Bulma folded her arms over her chest. "There's nothing there, you guys." she said a bit annoyed. Goku turned to Athea. "It's him, isn't it? My brother?" he asked her to which she nodded solemnly. The other turned their gazes to her with confusion. "Brother? What's he talking about?" asked Bulma curiously. Athea winced before Goku caught their attention again with his next words: "Up there!" he called. "Oh yes. Who is it?" asked Roshi curiously.

Athea's mind was in a battle. One part of her wanted to grab Gohan and hide him from view, but the other part of her didn't want to miss Raditz' arrival.

"It's not Piccolo, is it?" asked Krillin while they all watched a dot flying quickly closer and closer.

Finally, Raditz arrived and landed smoothly on the sand with a smirk on his face.

Athea felt her heart flutter. _He's even hotter in real life then on television._ She thought and blushed.

She looked him over. He wore the standard saiyan armor. Two wings of his armor that stuck out over his shoulder and three wings that covered the sides of his legs and front of his crotch.

Brown and blue just like in the show. His hair was extremely long and came to his ankles while his muscled arms were crossed over his chest, a cocky smirk on his face. A dark green scouter was over his left eye and was beeping the whole time.

_Is this a dream? Please let it be a dream._ She mentally pleaded to herself though she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

This was all very real. And there was no escape.


	4. Chapter 4

Facing the Future

Chapter 4

_Recap: _

_Finally, Raditz arrived and landed smoothly on the sand with a smirk on his face. _

_Athea felt her heart flutter. He's even hotter in real life then on television. She thought and blushed. _

_She looked him over. He wore the standard saiyan armor. Two wings of his armor that stuck out over his shoulder and three wings that covered the sides of his legs and front of his crotch. _

_Brown and blue just like in the show. His hair was extremely long and came to his ankles while his muscled arms were crossed over his chest, a cocky smirk on his face. A dark green scouter was over his left eye and was beeping the whole time. _

_Is this a dream? Please let it be a dream. She mentally pleaded to herself though she knew she wouldn't get an answer. _

_This was all very real. And there was no escape._

_XXX_

"Hello brother."

The words echoed around the small island, the place silent except for the rush of the water lapping at the shore. Athea swallowed, glancing over at Goku before returning her gaze to the fierce saiyan in front of her.

"What do you want?" Goku asked, slowly lowering into his fighting stance, one arm out in front of him, his eyes steady on the tall man slowly sneering at them.

Everyone watched the saiyan, their eyes widening when they caught a glimpse of a tail swaying behind him. Athea watched it for a moment, her eyes going back and forth with the movements, before looking back at Raditz. He was studying her. She felt her face flush as she looked away, suddenly very interested in the dirt beneath her feet. She flinched slightly at the abrupt sound of the taller saiyan's voice.

"I've come to collect you, dear brother," Raditz said, the tone of his voice condescending as he continued. "But I see you never fulfilled your mission. This planet is still crawling with these insignificant weaklings!"

Athea glanced up, watching Raditz from underneath her lashes. His lip curled a little, the sight of it sending a shiver down her spine. She might have liked him at home, but this guy was one dangerous dude. She glanced over at Goku, watching his face harden. He started talking, but she sort of tuned him out as her gaze went to Gohan. She jerked her head a little towards Raditz, watching him for a moment before slowly making her way over to the small boy. She stopped beside Goku, who wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing, but she did see him briefly glance at her out of the corner of his eye, still in fighting stance.

Athea bit her lip, looking at Raditz again. She froze, her eyes widening. He was watching her, a deep frown on his face. His obsidian eyes were penetrating, the orbs intimidating underneath narrowed brows. She gulped, not looking away from him as she slowly pushed Gohan behind her. A silent sigh came out of her as the boy stepped closer to her, his tail brushing her pant leg. She kept her gaze on the dangerous saiyan as she stepped back, pushing the demi-saiyan back as well.

She froze as Raditz suddenly smirked, ignoring Goku's questions as he slowly started walking forward. Krillin suddenly walked forward, his hands on his hips.

"You obviously got the wrong person, so why don't you just leave!" Krillin stopped a foot away from the muscle bound man, waving his hand in front of him. Athea gulped and closed her eyes, knowing what was fixing to happen.

"Shoo! Shoo!"

Athea winced a moment later at the sound of someone crashing through a wall. She didn't have to look to know it was the bald monk. She slowly opened her eyes, watching as Goku launched himself at his brother. Athea shivered, watching as Goku came flying back a moment later, hitting the ground hard. The man groaned, not moving.

"Dad!"

Athea gasped, whirling around as Gohan raced over to his father. She took a step to go after him, but was suddenly stopped by the grip on her hair. Her hands automatically came up to close around the wrist, her heart pounding in her chest. She slowly looked over, her body shaking as she stared at Goku's brother. A sneer suddenly graced his features, jerking her closer to him.

"Let's see how Kakkarot feels about me taking his woman and child!" Raditz growled, letting go of her hair, only to snatch her around the waist before her feet could touch the ground. Her breath left her, terror coursing through her. _Oh God! He thinks I'm Goku's wife!? Oh Crap! How do I get out of this!_

Athea started struggling, knowing it most likely wouldn't do anything. She glanced over her shoulder at the saiyan, her lips parting a little at the close proximity of the man.

"I'm not-"

"Shut up!" Raditz snapped, jostling her a little as he reached Goku and Gohan.

He snatched the boy up by his head, the little demi-saiyan giving a cry of surprise. Athea winced slightly as he started wailing, tears running down his face. She reached her arm out to grab him, but Raditz held him up away from her. She looked at him.

"You're not getting the boy until Kakkarot has purged this planet," Raditz stated loudly, a malevolent smile appearing on his face. His eyes glowed with an unholy light, seeming to enjoy causing everyone pain, even his own brother. He tucked Gohan under his other arm, making sure to keep him out of reaching distance from Athea.

She looked down at Goku, still struggling to get up. She flinched when Raditz swiftly kicked the younger saiyan in the side, listening as a few ribs cracked. Athea felt nausea rise in the back of her throat, and swallowed it down. _How am I going to get out of this!? How am I going to protect Gohan?_ She swallowed with difficulty, her body slightly shaking as Raditz stayed beside the fallen warrior, a slight chuckle coming out of him.

"What's the matter Kakkarot!? Not strong enough to protect your mate and cub? How pathetic!" he snapped, kicking Goku again and making him roll, coming dangerously close to the water's edge. Goku didn't make a sound, didn't move.

Athea felt her throat thicken at the sight, a tear rolling down her face. She sucked in a breath, watching as the gang ran over to aid the fallen saiyan, gently rolling him back over. Sand covered his face and clothing, blood trickling from his mouth. A hand came up to dispel a sob, and she looked away, not being able to bare seeing one of her favorite people like that.

Raditz laughed at their pitiful assistance, his body shaking. Athea could feel the armor digging into her side, trying to drown out Gohan's shrill cries. Her heart ached to hear them, but there was nothing she could do. She bit her lip as she closed her eyes, silently praying that somehow Goku would get up and possibly save them.

Her eyes popped open when she felt the muscular saiyan move. Raditz had turned away from the sight of his brother on the ground, now walking towards the edge of the island. Athea gulped, knowing that they were fixing to leave. Her heart started pounding, her breath hitching.

Raditz paused at the water, glancing back over his shoulder. A smirk appeared on his face.

"Remember Kakkarot," he stated firmly, watching the younger saiyan shakily sit up. His smirk turned into a small grin as he watched dawning horror cross his brother's features. "You have until tomorrow to purge this planet," Raditz said softly, his eyes hard. "Or you will never see your mate or child again," he finished softly, the tone of his voice striking even more terror into everyone around him.

He let his words sink in for a moment before blasting off, Athea and Gohan tucked underneath each of his arms.

XXX

"Damn you! Stop moving so much!"

Athea tried to wiggle out of the huge saiyans' hold again. Her breath rushed out of her as he tightened his arm, basically crushing her ribcage. A small moan of pain came out of her, her body going limp for a second. She felt Raditz moving once more, stalking over to his pod and throwing a bawling Gohan in. She heard him grunt, swallowing in fear again as he turned away from it, his footfalls pounding in her ears as they moved away from the constant crying of the little boy. Athea bit her lip, briefly closing her eyes before opening them again, taking a huge breath.

"I'm not who-"

Her words were cut off as Raditz grabbed her hair, jerking her head back to meet his gaze.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up," he growled, his voice low.

Athea felt a shiver course through her body, momentarily speechless. She held his gaze as she parted her lips, getting ready to try to speak once more.

"I'm not Goku's mate!" she said in a rush, afraid he was going to hit her if she talked too long.

Raditz kept a firm hold on her hair, his grip tight. His eyes narrowed as he stared down at her for a moment, before a sound of disgust passed his lips and he looked away.

"I don't care what you say woman! You're not getting away. You and that sniveling brat are insurance, and I'm not about to give that up!"

Raditz started walking again, pausing for a moment when his scouter beeped. Athea glanced at it, having no clue what the rapidly flashing symbols meant. She watched as the saiyan suddenly smiled, a grunt coming out of him. His hold on her tightened somewhat as he turned his head, narrowing his eyes as he watched a spot in the sky.

Athea glanced towards where he was looking, but didn't see anything. _Please! Let that be Goku!_ She perked up when she spotted a small orange dot, soon becoming distinguishable as it got closer. It was Goku, and behind him was Piccolo, a fierce scowl on both the fighter's faces. She almost smiled, but caught herself at the last minute. She didn't want to get her hopes up. Athea wasn't sure what else could possibly change from what she knew was supposed to happen.

She looked at Raditz as his body jerked taunt, a brow raising on his forehead at the sight of the green warrior. Athea moved as he shrugged in indifference, still tucked underneath his arm. She watched Goku and Piccolo land, the namekian glancing at her for a moment before looking back at Raditz. His features remained blank, his hands balled into fists at his sides. Goku stood beside him, a grim expression on his face.

"What have you done with my son?" Goku asked quietly, his eyes moving around for a moment before settling back on Raditz.

She heard the tall saiyan sneer, his body moving with the force. "That loud ass brat is in my pod. Couldn't stand listening to the whining any longer," Raditz stated, his arm staying firm around Athea's middle. She grabbed his hand, trying to pry it off her, only to have him jostle her again, a grunt coming out of her as she moved up and down, the wind getting knocked out of her. She stared at the ground for a moment, trying to get her breath back. The sound of them talking finally reached her ears.

"-don't care!"

Athea looked up, glancing at Goku. His eyes were blazing, his teeth flashing a little as he gritted his teeth. She gulped, now understanding why most hesitated to take him on later. Raditz didn't say anything, and she glanced at him. He had a sneer on his face, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"This is my home! I would never purposefully destroy it, not for you or anyone else!"

Athea felt a smile emerge on her face at his words. He was so good! She peaked at Raditz, quickly looking away when he looked down at her. She felt herself move as her feet finally touched the ground. A sigh of relief left her, and she went to run towards the pod, only to be jerked back. A cry escaped her lips as the older saiyan grabbed her by the hair, tugging her back against him. She shivered at the closeness, feeling his hand tighten around her hair. He held her pinned in front of him, the other hand coming up and grabbing her throat.

"And what about this one?" Raditz asked, his hand slightly tightening around her neck.

Athea gasped at the pain, feeling her esophagus bend slightly from the force. A cry left her, and her knees buckled. The hold on her hair kept her up, the taller saiyan tilting her head back slightly. She felt his breath on the side of her face as he spoke.

"Don't you want this one back as well?" Raditz asked as he slowly smiled, his face inches from hers.

She gulped, wincing at the hand around her throat, hoping that this would stop soon. She silently prayed for Raditz to drop his hold on her neck, where she could feel the damage he was inflicting with the briefest of touches. Athea laid a hand on his, silently asking him to stop. After a moment, to her surprise, the older saiyan moved his hand, letting it drop as he straightened. He kept his grip around her hair, not letting her move an inch.

"Let her go," Goku commanded softly, his fists raising slightly. Piccolo narrowed his eyes at them.

Athea could feel her body moving as Raditz barked with laughter, his head thrown back for a moment. He stopped abruptly, his hold on her suddenly leaving. Athea cried out as she smacked the ground, dirt billowing up slightly at the impact. She coughed for a moment, wincing at the pain in her throat. She looked over her shoulder, shooting a glare at Raditz, but he wasn't paying attention to her. He was watching the two warriors in front of them, a small smirk on his face.

Athea hesitated only slightly before backing away, her body barely leaving the ground as she moved away from Raditz. _Man! As hot as he is, the saiyan is still lethal!_ She absently rubbed her throat, wincing at the pain still accumulated there. After moving a few feet away without Raditz coming after her, she slowly stood, glancing at Goku briefly before running towards the pod. She slid as she made her way down into the crater, stumbling for a moment before finally reaching the space pod. She practically smacked into it in her haste to reach the boy, her hands creating a thudding sound as she propped herself up, looking in the little window. Gohan was still crying, only now it was quiet sobs, the sound muffled as Athea tried to figure out a way to get him out.

"Gohan!" she shouted, banging on the outside of the metal. A loud bong echoed around her, watching as the little demi-saiyan's head finally came up.

Gohan wiped his nose with his sleeve, crawling the small foot separating him from the window. Athea watched him raise his tear stained face towards her, a lone tear falling down his cheek.

"I..." Gohan looked around the pod before meeting her gaze again. "I don't know how to open it," he finally exclaimed, another sniffle coming out of him.

Athea frantically searched the whole outside of the space ship, sighing in frustration when she didn't find anything to open the damn pod. She went back to the window. Gohan was still sitting in the same spot, his eyes closed and head lowered. His lower lip was trembling.

"Gohan," Athea said loudly, watching as the boy slowly lifted his head to look at her. "Can you use your power to break out?"

She watched Gohan furrow his brows, listening with half an ear to the fight happening not five feet from her. She winced as someone slammed the ground, the earth shaking with the impact. Athea never took her eyes off Gohan, watching him think for a moment before helplessness crossed his face.

"I don't know how," he said softly, shaking his head. "I don't think I have any power," the boy confessed, another sniffle escaping him.

Athea let out a low growl of frustration, banging her fist on the pod. She heard a loud scream come from behind her, and whirled around. Raditz was standing close to the crater, an evil smile on his face as he pushed against Goku's chest, the younger saiyan grabbing his foot, trying to get up off the ground. She listened for only a second as Raditz laughed, before turning back to the boy. Her eyes widened slightly.

Gohan was glaring out the window, his eyes narrowed, his teeth flashing as he clenched his jaw. Underneath his nose was wet from crying, the tears now gone. He was looking passed Athea, to where his father lay on the ground, being pulverized by his brother. Athea watched as his breath hitched, slowly backing away. If she remembered correctly, the little boy was about to explode. She scrambled up the caved in earth, barely making it to the top before an explosion erupted behind her. She stumbled, landing on her hands and knees briefly before chancing a glance back. Debris was still flying everywhere, Athea ducking as the door to the pod flew dangerously close to her head. She looked back in time to see Gohan yell, screaming words she really couldn't make out before he rushed forward, slamming into Raditz chest. Athea gasped, her eyes widening. It was very different seeing it in person than on television. It looked like it _really_ hurt in real life.

She bit her lip, feeling stupid as the hope that Raditz was okay flitted through her mind. She silently scoffed at herself, before standing up, swaying for a moment before walking over to Goku. Gohan was beside him, his tail flicking behind the small boy as he checked his father. Athea crouched down, laying a hand on his shoulder and looking down at Goku. A grimace of pain crossed his features, and Athea bit her lip. She hesitated a moment before speaking.

"Do you want-"

She cut off as a blast rendered the air, cutting into the quietness of the surrounding area. Her and Gohan whirled around, their eyes widening at the sight of Piccolo standing a few yards away, his arm outstretched, a satisfied smirk on his face. They looked down. Raditz was laying there, smoke curling from his chest. Athea felt her heart skip a beat, her hands balling at her sides. Feeling very dumb, she silently hoped the older saiyan wasn't dead. She glanced at Gohan, surprised at the set expression on his face. His mouth was turned down into a frown, his eyes narrowed a little. His hands were balled up at his sides. Athea looked over her shoulder at Goku. He had turned his head, watching as his older brother lay there possibly dying. His eyes moved, meeting Athea's. She gulped at the emotion there, wanting to run up and give him a hug. But she refrained, knowing it wouldn't be right. She watched him look back at his fallen brother, before a shaky breath left him. Gohan turned beside her, a small noise coming out of him as he ran to his fathers' side. Athea turned back around, studying Raditz still body before looking over at Piccolo. He had straightened up, his eyes never leaving the fallen saiyan as he regenerated another arm. Athea resisted the urge to retch at the sight.

"Good riddance," Piccolo murmured, and Athea winced, her focus returning to the man on the ground. Raditz didn't seem to be moving, and she wanted to run over and feel for a pulse, or see if he was breathing. Fear that Piccolo might attack _her_ kept her rooted to the spot.

She heard rustling behind her, scraping noises reaching her ears moments before Goku appeared beside her. She heard a sigh leave the man, before he slowly stepped forward. Athea watched him stop at the side of his brother, reaching down to grab the scouter off his face. An arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, the older saiyan pining his arms behind him with his tail. Athea's eyes widened. She hadn't even seen the man move! She watched as Gohan rushed forward, only to be swatted away as Raditz growled low in his throat. She saw Goku wince slightly as his brother tightened his hold around his neck. She winced a little as well, her hand coming up to rub her throat, the feel of his hand on her still fresh in her mind. She looked over as Piccolo let out a low chuckle, putting two fingers to his forehead.

"Two for one," she heard him say softly, her eyes darting to the brother's currently struggling against one another. Goku got the older saiyans' grip on his throat loosened, now trying to jerk the hold on his arms. Raditz growled again, an arm coming up to pin his brothers' body again, when another blast rang out.

Both saiyans' fell.

Athea gasped, feeling so helpless as she watched first Goku jerk at the impact, then Raditz. Both men fell to the ground, not moving. She looked back at Piccolo, shivering a little at the satisfaction on his face. He suddenly looked over at her, and her eyes widened. She took a step back when the namekian turned towards her, his eyes hard. He started strolling forward, detouring a few steps away from her and going to the boy on the ground.

Athea's eyes widened even more as he bent down and picked up Gohan by the back of his shirt. Her gaze darted to him as he turned towards her slightly, his face grim. Piccolo glanced at the two saiyans lying on the ground, studying them for a moment. Athea followed his gaze, a small gasp coming out when Goku's body suddenly disappeared. She looked back at the green warrior, watching one eye quirk before settling his gaze on her. Athea shivered, seeing the steely determination in his eyes. A small smirk appeared on Piccolo's face again as he studied her, his head moving slightly as he cracked his neck. The hold on Gohan tightened, and his other hand clenched into a fist.

"Tell the others I'm taking Goku's brat for awhile. This boy has a lot of power inside him, and he needs the right teacher to control it. Seeing as how his father isn't here to do it," a small smirk appeared on the namekians' face, "I'll take care of it."

Athea swallowed, watching as Piccolo turned, and not saying another word, blasted off. It knocked her on her butt, and she landed with a small "oof", slightly scowling up at the sky. She looked back over at Raditz still lying on the ground, biting her lip. She knew the others' would be coming soon, and she wanted to get another look at his face before having to leave. She slowly stood, dusting her clothing off before slowly walking over towards the fallen saiyan. Athea swallowed with difficulty as she reached his side, pausing for a moment before squatting down, gently taking his chin in her hand and turning his head.

She was staring at the sky a moment later, not exactly sure what happened. The grip on her throat tightened, and she cried out, finally noticing the beaten warrior slowly lifting up onto his knees, one of his eyes twitching. Athea felt terror grip her at the look of absolute rage on Raditz face. His hold on her neck didn't loosen as he slowly bent towards her, his lip curling a little. She swallowed at the sight of his canines, gleaming in the evening sun. Her gaze went back to his, their eyes holding as he bent forward.

"Since that damn namekian took the brat, I guess you'll have to do," he growled, suddenly wrenching her up by her throat as he stood, her feet coming off the ground. The saiyan growled again, his eyes narrowed.

"We'll see if Kakkarot can stand that thought of you being taken from him," Raditz said, his voice low. He sneered at her, his eyes hard. He started walking, his hold on her neck still tight as he pushed a button on his scouter.

Athea couldn't even swallow, she was so terrified. She stared at the saiyan she always had a small crush on, watching as he seemed to ignore her winces of pain, her grip on his wrist doing nothing to alleviate it. A moment later noise erupted from the small device, cutting through the silence.

"I need the other pod sent now," Raditz stated after the transmission went silent. There was more gurgled talk coming from the scouter, sounding more like growls than anything else.

Athea felt her body shivering. She didn't want to leave earth, especially not knowing what was going to happen to her in the long run. This wasn't part of the story line as she knew it, and she doubted that they were going to from now on. She jerked to attention at the whooshing sound filling the air, a moment later something crashed a few hundred feet from them, making her cry out in surprise. Raditz sent her a disgusted look, before tucking her underneath his arm once more and strolling to his new space pod.

Athea frantically fought in his hold, but it didn't stop the saiyan as he stalked over to it. Dust billowed up as he stomped down the crater, making sand and dirt shoot up in her face. She closed her eyes and coughed, her hands still resting on the man's arm. A whimper escaped as they neared the pod, and she started frantically shaking her head.

"No! I don't want to go!" she shouted, banging her fists against the saiyan's arm. He didn't pause, didn't pay it no mind as he stopped, waiting for the hatch to open. Athea cried out as he threw her inside, crawling in behind her. She tried to scramble away from him, but there was obviously no room to move. Her body was shaking as she swallowed, feeling tears threaten to fall down her face as she watched Raditz push a couple buttons on the console in front of him. It was quiet, the only sound was her ragged breathing and the beeping as he set the course away from earth.

Athea cried out when the pod started shaking, her stomach flipping as they shot towards the sky, the large saiyan beside her leaning back, crossing his arms. His body brushed hers, and she scrunched herself up a little more. She bit her lip until she drew blood, a sob escaping her.

"Don't even think about it," Raditz stated, closing his eyes. He looked over as she stayed silent. "Don't start sniveling and crying!" he snapped, his eyes narrowing.

He glared at her for a moment before speaking again. "Don't make me forcibly stop you, woman," Raditz softly said, his tone deadly quiet.

Athea swallowed, feeling another shiver course down her spin. Her breath hitched a little as she looked away. She watched the earth get smaller and smaller through the little window. She wrapped her arms around herself, hesitating slightly before speaking.

"Where," she paused, licking her dry lips. "Where are we going?" she whispered, flinching a little when the huge saiyan shifted.

She chanced a glance back up at him, watching a small smirk appear on his face. His eyes took on an unholy gleam as they studied her, the light reflecting off the dark orbs.

"Planet Vegetasei."

XXX

~Chapter by GVLuver~


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Recap: _"Where," she paused, licking her dry lips. "Where are we going?" she whispered, flinching a little when the huge saiyan shifted._

_She chanced a glance back up at him, watching a small smirk appear on his face. His eyes took on an unholy gleam as they studied her, the light reflecting off the dark orbs._

"_Planet Vegeta-sei."_

_XXX_

Her eyes widened in horror. "Vegeta-sei?!" she squeaked.

How could this be? Planet Vegeta was supposed to be destroyed by Frieza!

_This isn't good! Kami, it isn't even possible! What am I going to do?_ she thought worriedly while sniffling on the outside.

She swallowed another sob, not wanting to provoke his anger. "W-what are you going to do with me?" she asked softly and tried to stifle another sob. The smirk on his face grew wider while his eyes glinted darkly.

"I was thinking of keeping you as my slave, as payback for what Kakarot and that Namekian have done to me." he told her.

She shook her head. _He may be cute but that doesn't mean I'm gonna be his slave!_ she thought franticly.

"B-but I don't wanna be your slave!" she whimpered before cowering away when he glared at her, his smirk changing into a sneer. "Who said you had a choice?" he chuckled before suddenly a yellowish gas started filling the pod.

Athea panicked. "W-what is this?" she squeaked while putting a hand in front of her mouth. Raditz rolled his eyes. "It's only sleeping gas, woman. Relax." he snapped, annoyed that she was panicking over something so futile.

The gas quickly started kicking in and she felt her eyes grow slowly heavier and heavier until she finally fell asleep.

As a saiyan Raditz had a stronger system therefore the gas worked slower on him. After a few more moments did he feel it also start to effect him and he slowly fell asleep.

Some time later did Raditz woke up to the sound of beeping.

Blinking a few times, Raditz looked to his side and saw a small screen blinking red.

He pushed a few buttons and a moment later did a female computer voice sound through the small pod.

"_Arriving on Vegeta-sei in 10 minutes, preparing for landing in 5 minutes._" said the voice. Satisfied Raditz looked through the glass of the door and saw a fiery red planet that seemed to have an intimidating look to it.

He smirked before he leaned back in his seat again and looked down at his captive. The girl laid peacefully against his knees, her hair was splayed half over her shoulder, showing him a nice view of her neck.

A few moments later did the whole ship jolt violently, which woke Athea up.

"W-where am I?" she mumbled sleepily before another violent jolt made her head hit the side of the pod.

Yelping, she held her head, feeling as if her brain was rattled.

"We're about to land on Vegeta-sei. When we get there you are to stay close to me at all times, woman." a smirk curled his lips. "Unless of course, you want to be raped." and watched with glee as her face paled and heard her heart beating faster. Tears were once again gathering in her eyes.

Satisfied, he waited for the pod to land.

He didn't have to wait long.

The pod flew through the ozone of the planet and landed on a special platform that dulled the impact of the pod.

Slowly the door hissed open.

Athea slowly stood up and got out, stumbling a bit as she did. Raditz watched her step out slowly before he too stepped out. But he almost instantly sagged through his legs, falling on one knee.

Two third classers came running over with a stretcher.

Another third class saiyan came walking over to her and grabbed her arm with a sneer.

"What do we have here? A human?" asked the man curiously. Raditz held up his hand and the two who held the stretcher, paused in their steps.

"That woman belongs to me. She's my new slave." told Raditz which made the third classer tense and give a small bow. "Yes my lord. Forgive me." he stated while he let go of her arm. Raditz scoffed. "As for you two, I don't need a stretcher." he smirked while he pointed his thumb at Athea "My slave will take care of me." he stated. She gasped.

"Me? Take care of him?!" While she didn't mind looking at him but touching him was a whole different matter. It wasn't that she didn't want to touch him, it was the part where he was so cruel that she minded.

His smirk widened. "Yes, as compensation for what Kakarot did to me." he spat. Gulping, she paled when she saw the three third-classers leave and Raditz turned to her.

He took a step towards her and she quickly took one back. Noticing this, he scowled and disappeared in a blink of an eye and reappeared right beside her again. Gasping, she went to step away, Raditz caught her and threw her over his shoulder.

Whimpering, Raditz was about to take off when another third-class saiyan came running towards them.

"Lord Raditz! King Vegeta wishes to speak to you about your mission!" cried the man making Raditz tense. Athea did the same. _Does that mean I get to meet prince and king Vegeta?_ She thought a bit panicked. Vegeta was not really a favorite of her, his arrogance was annoying and he scared her a bit.

Raditz nodded. "Fine." he growled and turned and walked into the building.

A few minutes later did Raditz arrive by two large and heavy doors. with a surprised yelp did Athea suddenly land back on the floor again. "Oww…" she moaned while rubbing her tailbone. _Not a nice landing._ She thought a bit annoyed before she heard a scoff coming from him.

"Get up, woman. We're about to enter the throne room and meet prince and king Vegeta. You will not speak unless spoken to, got it?" he snapped making her flinch at his harsh tone but nodded shakily.

"U-understood." she muttered and got up.

Raditz turned to the doors and opened them with a slight wince.

The wound he gained from that Namekian was painful. Luckily the green warrior had missed his heart easily or else he would've been dead by now.

Instead, he walked around with a deep flesh wound on his chest that had first degree burns surrounding it because of the blast. The attack had broken through his armor just where Gohan had hit him.

Raditz walked inside and was hesitantly followed by her.

Athea gasped at the sight before her.

The room was huge and colored a deep red with large tapestries on the left and right walls. The tapestries were a royal blue with a golden edge around it.

On each side of the room stood six saiyans in royal armor, straight with their heads held high.

On the other side of the room were three thrones. The outer left throne was empty while the middle and right one were occupied by two saiyans who Athea instantly recognized as the king and prince Vegeta.

Both were staring with a firm glare at them.

While Raditz was used to it and wasn't intimidated, she on the other hand was scared stiff from them.

She was nervous for meeting them. Hell, she was nervous of even being near them!

Once they were by the three stairs in front of the thrones, did the two stop.

Raditz bowed with difficulty while he roughly pushed Athea down to the ground on her knees.

"My lord. You summoned me?" he asked respectfully.

Prince Vegeta huffed while the king looked at him with a stone gaze… before he turned his gaze to her.

She had just lifted her head when she met his gaze and tensed before bowing her head again to avoid his gaze. Her body started softly shaking from nervousness and fear.

The king turned his gaze back to Raditz. "Yes, it has come to my ears that you have failed your mission of conquering earth?" he questioned in a voice that held no protest.

Raditz gritted his teeth while bowing his head again. Bowing his body was starting to become a bit difficult.

"That is sadly correct my liege." a huff came from the prince who sneered down on him. "So a warrior of your power couldn't even purge such a puny planet of weaklings? Pathetic." mocked prince Vegeta.

Raditz clenched his fists in anger while he had to fight to keep his anger in check.

"I was taken by surprise, my brother Kakarot fought me with the help of a Namekian." he explained curtly but held the details of Gohan a secret.

He didn't want to explain the humiliation of how he was weakened by a four-year old brat.

How he underestimated him.

The prince smirked. "Tch, wasn't Kakarot a third class-warrior? It makes me wonder what class you are then." mocked the man. Athea gritted her teeth and clenched her eyes shut. While she found Raditz cruel and evil, even he didn't deserve to be mocked like that.

But what could she do? She wasn't strong enough to take them on. Let alone brave enough for that matter.

Raditz was having difficulties keeping his temper in check and managed to do so. But only just.

"That is enough, my son," came the sudden voice from the king. The prince snapped his head to his father and glared before he looked away with a scoff.

The king then turned his gaze to the young woman next to the second-class saiyan.

"And what of the woman next to you? She looks like us but does not have a tail." pointed the man out.

"She is a human, my lord. And my new slave." he stated while looking up straight in the eyes of the king.

King cocked a brow. "Slave you say? Why this one?" "She was a friend of my brother. I found it fitting to take her as my slave as payback for what has been done to me." spoke Raditz in a respectful tone.

Athea bit her lip. How she wished she could escape from here and go back to her bed, warm and safe under her blankets.

"Woman, look at me." came the terse command. Tensing, she slowly, hesitantly looked up until her gaze met that of the king.

_He is scary from close by._ She thought a bit unnerved.

He looked her over. "Interesting choice of slave." he said calmly before he waved his hand. "You may keep her. Now leave." ordered king Vegeta.

Bowing, Raditz thanked him and turned around. He roughly pulled Athea up by her arm and practically dragged her behind him.

She really wanted to be away from him, but at the same time she wanted to stay close to him.

_I never knew that most saiyans are so scary looking. Their looks give me the chills._

Raditz walked her to the front gates and heaved her under his arm again.

He winced when he felt his wound throb once again.

It has been throbbing for a while now. Plus he had lost quite some blood.

He flew over many small houses. Athea noticed that there were three large villages.

He flew to the second village and landed near a medium-sized house that stood a bit away from other houses.

He walked to the front door and opened it.

She gaped. _This is his house?!_ She thought surprised and looked around as best she could from under his arm before she suddenly was dropped on the ground.

Again.

"Oomph!" she mumbled while rubbing her stomach.

"Weakling." sneered Raditz before he closed the door and walked over to a large couch and laid down.

She stood up slowly and glanced at the closed door behind her.

_Should I make a run for it? Could I make it?_ She bit her lip before she sighed. _Probably not._ She thought depressed.

"Woman!" barked Raditz suddenly, making her jump in surprise. He rolled his eyes at her surprise. "Go get the medical kit in the kitchen, it's in the cabinet to your right just when you enter." he ordered. She frowned and really wanted to tell him that she wasn't his slave but didn't have the courage.

Sighing, she nodded and looked around for the kitchen.

The room was plain. The front door was made of deep brown, wood that was very sturdy.

Once you entered was there a small table to the right.

On the other side was nothing, a bit further was a large table in the middle that could fit eight people.

Then right next to it was the couch with a small coffee table next to it and another large couch on the other side of the table.

Behind that couch was a doorway that led straight to the kitchen.

Athea glanced to the left, beyond the dinner table.

There was a hallway that led to three doors. Each were of the same deep, brown wood as the front door.

She wondered what those doors could lead to before mentally kicking herself.

_It probably leads to the sleeping chamber and the bathroom._ She swallowed and walked over to the kitchen.

Her gaze went to the right before she glanced around the kitchen.

Everything was plain white with grey.

There were many cabinets and a refrigerator. She walked over to the fridge and opened it. Her eyes widened. It was crammed to the edge with food. All meat, no vegetables.

A pang of homesickness rushed through her.

"Woman! What's taking you so long?!" yelled Raditz from within the living room. Flinching, she quickly shook her head and walked over to the aforementioned cabinet and opened it. In it were two medical kits. Taking one, she quickly walked back out of the room and towards Raditz.

She set the kit down on the coffee table and stepped away.

She turned around to leave for the kitchen again when Raditz spoke up. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked with a sneer. Shakily she looked over her shoulder at him. "Eh, t-the kitchen?" she stuttered softly. She hoped that he would forget about her.

"No you're not. Get the medical kit and dress my wounds. But before that, help me out of this armor." he ordered while he sat up with a grunt of pain.

Tensing, she slowly walked over to him and under his instructions, slowly took the armor off.

A deep blush lit her face up. _Dear lord! He is even hotter from close by!_ She thought and shifted slightly in her place.

Once she had the armor in her arms she almost buckled under the weight.

_Dear God! That thing is as heavy as me!_ She strained to bring the armor softly to the ground next to her.

Raditz watched her with mild amusement as she struggled to carefully put the armor down.

"Now get the kit and dress my wounds." he ordered. Gulping, she turned to the kit on the table and opened it.

There were various things in it. There was a small bottle full of pills that she figured were the painkillers. Some bandages, a scissor, a pair of tweezers and a large bottle of disinfectant.

_Luckily I know a bit of first aid or I would have no idea what I'd be doing._ She thought wryly and was about to pick up the disinfectant when she remembered a bit from her lessons in school of first aid. _Oh! Almost forgot! You always need to first clean the wound with water before dressing it._

And with that she walked back to the kitchen.

"Where the hell do you think you're going, woman?!" growled Raditz to which she halted in the doorway to the kitchen. Turning half to him she swallowed nervously. "I-I'm going to get some clean water. I-I was taught always to first clean the wound with water before you do anything else." she said softly and shifted in her place.

Raditz looked skeptically at her. "Don't think of running. There is no one around here that would help you." he smirked evilly "Unless it is to help you to hell."

Seeing her pale, he was satisfied she wouldn't try it.

Athea turned and walked into the kitchen.

After a bit of searching she was recovered from the small scare he gave her and also found a bowl for her water.

_Now let's see if he has some towels around here. _She thought nimbly and looked under the sink. There she found some clean towels. Picking one up, she brought it together with the bowl, now filled with water, to the living room.

"Finally, I was almost starting to think you were trying to find a way out." he spat impatiently.

Swallowing, she set the bowl next to the kit and put the towel into the bowl.

After dipping it in a few times she wrung it out and gently placed it on Raditz' wound.

Instantly did the saiyan tense and hiss in pain.

His tail twitched slightly and she only just avoided it when it suddenly moved.

She bit her lip and hesitantly continued cleaning his wound.

A tense silence reigned through the house that made Athea feel very self-conscious.

She put the towel back in the bowl to clean it and then put it gently back on his wound again.

She was a bit perturbed by the sight of the wound but could swallow back her nausea.

She had to clean the towel several times to get rid of all the blood and dirt. While at the same time she had to clean the water three times.

Once she was done cleaning, she grabbed the kit and pulled out the disinfectant.

Raditz watched her the whole time like a hawk.

It made her nervous and very self-conscious.

She wanted to tell him to stop looking at her but she didn't have enough courage.

She gently put some on a piece of bandage before she frowned.

It wasn't going to be enough to clean his wound.

Biting her lip, she glanced at the wound and then at his face.

She blushed again when she saw him stare at her. Well, glare at her was more like it.

Swallowing nervously, she shakily brought the bottle to the wound and gently poured a bit over it.

Raditz bucked slightly in surprise while he growled menacingly. His tail lashed out and slapped her away. She fell against the table with a groan before she quickly put the bottle away when it almost spilled.

A hand roughly grabbed her throat and pulled her face close to his.

"Watch what you're doing, wench." he snarled before he roughly pushed her away while letting go of her throat.

Coughing a few times "S-sorry." she whimpered before she took out some bandages and started dressing the wound further.

The blush on her face had long since disappeared since that threat of his.

She was both relieved as well as sad that she was done dressing him.

She liked touching his abs. They were so hard.

The blush she had lost rushed straight back to her face along with a strange fluttering in her stomach.

She closed the kit and stood up.

A hand roughly grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Go make dinner. I want to eat within an hour." he ordered harshly. Nodding, she quickly ran to the kitchen once he let go.

"And refer to me as your master!" he said after she stepped away.

He had forgotten to tell her that for a moment.

"Y-yes master." she said with a stutter.

In the kitchen she pondered on what she should make. Luckily the furnace was looking a bit the same as the once back at home.

She didn't know what to cook so she sought through the cabinets for something she could mix with the meat.

Eventually she found some canned vegetables that resembled purple cucumbers in a way.

Starting to work, she was just done with cooking a quarter after an hour and quickly brought everything she made to the table.

She set a plate for him and then the rest of the food.

Raditz sat down at his place and started eating.

Not knowing what to do next, she stood by the table in an awkward silence. One that was only broken by the sounds Raditz made when he was eating.

Raditz noticed her after his third plate and swallowed the food in his mouth.

"What the hell are you still standing around for? Go clean the kitchen, wench!" he barked "Y-yes sir." after which she promptly ran back to the kitchen to get to work.

When she came to the kitchen she frowned once again.

_Where are the cleaning products? No, the real question should be; _how_ am I going to clean?_

After mulling over it for a few minutes she finally went to look through the cabinets again before finally finding something that looked remotely like a bottle with cleaning product.

Shrugging, she went to work on the kitchen.

_Luckily I had cleaned a bit of the mess I made while cooking or else I would've had double work by now._ She mused while throwing away some cans.

All the while her mind was mulling over what would happen to her. She didn't want to be a slave.

After half an hour of working, she found it oddly quiet in the living room and stopped cleaning for a moment to go look what was going on.

Raditz laid on one of the couches, resting.

She glanced over at the table and sweatdropped.

_It looks as if a tornado flew over the table._ She shook her head and quickly and as quietly as possible went to the table and started stacking everything up and bringing it all stack by stack to the kitchen.

While she did that Raditz had opened his eyes again when he heard her enter the room and watched her clean the table.

When she disappeared back into the kitchen again, he closed his eyes to rest.

A few knocks on the door made his eyes snap open.

He sat up with a bit of trouble before he stood up to get the door.

When he opened it he saw two saiyans standing there.

He blinked in confusion before he smirked. Fasha smirked back. "Hey Raditz, you look surprised. Don't tell me you had forgotten all about your invitation for us when you would return from your mission?" she asked amused when she saw his confusion. He shrugged.

"Maybe, and hello to you too Fasha, Nappa. How nice to see you two again." said Raditz with a smirk before it turned into a frown. "Where is father?" he asked curiously with a slight frown. "Bardock couldn't come, he was delayed by the king about a new mission." piped Fasha. Raditz nodded in understanding. Meanwhile, Athea was secretly eavesdropping on their conversation while she did the dishes.

"Hey, Raditz, how did the mission go? Heard you got some trouble there." asked a large, bald man slyly who she recognized as none other than Nappa.

Athea glanced out of the doorway from the kitchen to the two visitors.

She saw Nappa standing there.

Next to him stood a saiyan that she barely recognized as Fasha. The saiyan woman from Bardock's team.

"I failed the mission, got caught from behind by my brother Kakarot and a Namekian." he told them with a spat.

Fasha frowned. "Kakarot? Bardock's little tyke?" she asked to which he nodded. "Yes. It seems that he has sided with the human thrash." he spat before he smirked. "That reminds me. Woman! Get us something to drink!" barked Raditz.

Wincing, Athea quickly pulled her head back and went to look for something to drink. Only to sweatdrop.

The refrigerator was filled with mostly meat and beer. Nothing else to drink but beer.

Sighing, she pulled three bottles of beer and pulled the crowns off.

Slowly she walked back to the doorway to the living room and hesitantly poked her head through again.

Raditz immediately noticed her. "Woman! Where is our beer?!" he snapped to which she flinched and quickly walked over with the three bottles.

Raditz snatched the bottles out of her hands and sneered. "Now get back to work, slave." he snapped to which she promptly went back to the kitchen.

Nappa and Fasha watched her leave. "So, a slave, eh? Why'd ya take a human as slave? They're pathetic weaklings." sneered the man with a smirk. Fasha smirked. "Unless you have gotten a soft spot for this human." she teased.

Raditz glared at her. "Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped annoyed "As if I would ever fall so low as for a human. I only took her with me as a slave as payback for what Kakarot has done to me." he growled.

Fasha quirked an eyebrow.

"Speaking of which, why'd he side with the humans? Wasn't it his mission to purge that planet a long time ago?" asked the saiyan woman curiously. "Unfortunately, it seems my brother had gotten a head injury when he was just a baby. All of his saiyan instincts are gone. He even mated a human." he said with disgust. Both Fasha and Nappa pulled a face.

"I always knew Kakarot was a weakling." said Nappa. "What happened to him? Did you kill him?" he asked curiously.

Raditz shook his head. "Not me, Kakarot took me by surprise and grabbed my tail before the Namekian took the chance to blast us both. I survived with a flesh wound but my brother is dead." he explained to which Nappa sneered. "Good riddance. He was a disgrace to our race anyways." said the large man.

Fasha shook her head.

"It's a pity, he could've been a nice addition to our ranks." Raditz shook his head "Don't make me laugh, Fasha. He was as weak as a third-class newborn. It was only luck that they managed to surprise-attack me." he told them.

Athea shook her head and tuned the rest of their conversation out.

_How could he be so cruel to his brother?_ She thought back to the show but couldn't remember much about what happened during the part where Goku and Raditz were supposed to die.

A twinge of homesickness once again filled her and tears started gathering in her eyes. _I miss mom and dad. I thought that being in the show itself would be like a dream come true… obviously not this isn't a dream, it's a nightmare._ She sniffled softly and stopped her chore for a moment to wipe the tears that started to gather in her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: Language and crude humor!**

Facing the Future

Chapter 6

_This was not what I pictured coming to this world would be like!_ Athea sighed, grunting a little as she struggled with the weight of the armor in her arms. It plunked on the floor, and she let out a frustrated growl. She looked up at the sound of a door slamming somewhere in the house, biting her lip as she listened. A sigh of relief escaped her when no massive saiyan burst in on her, and picked up the armor again. She wrapped her arms up under the shoulders, stumbling a little as she tried to open the door, her fingers barely grasping the metal knob. The object in her arms slipped, falling with the way of gravity and slamming onto her left foot. She yelped, biting back a few curse words as she grabbed her foot, hopping around for a moment to alleviate the pain.

She finally stopped, rubbing her foot while she glared at the offending armor, reaching over and kicking it. The damn thing didn't even move. Athea grunted, putting her hands on her hips with a sigh. She unconsciously flexed her toes in her shoes, checking to make sure none were broken. She reached over and opened the door, stepping into the back hallway. She left the door to the laundry room open, grabbing the armor once more and practically dragging it to the room down the hall, where the large saiyan stored his uniform when not in use.

Athea paused for a moment, before gathering her strength and heaving the armor onto the small chair in the room. _If he wants it on the mannequin, he can do it himself!_ Brushing her hands off, she closed the door behind her, making her way back to the laundry room to get the finished load. She had been a little surprised to learn that Raditz had a washer and dryer, seeing as how she couldn't see the man doing anything remotely domestic. She finally figured, after puzzling about it for awhile, that he must have other woman come do his laundry. Now that he had her, apparently, he didn't need the others' services. She silently cursed him as she grabbed the laundry in her arms, not caring as some towels fell onto the floor as she stepped back, dumping the load onto the table.

She resisted the urge to bang her head against the wall at the sight of the amount of sheets and towels. Why would a single _man_ need that many damn sheets!? Athea stared at the pile for a moment before groaning softly and getting to work. She put the sheets in the hallway closet, returning once more to grab the towels. A sigh escaped as she bent over to grab the ones on the floor, quickly adding those to the pile and making her way towards the bathroom, the mound of towels almost blocking her view. Her mind traveled, thinking of her parents and home as she opened the door, opening the built in closet in the bathroom and practically shoving the towels inside. The doors closed with a loud click, bringing her out of her musings.

Athea blinked, suddenly realizing the bathroom was full of steam, the sound of water running reaching her ears. _Oh Crap_! She gulped, slowly turning her head towards the sound of the shower running. Her eyes widened as her throat closed. A silent choking sound escaped her.

The saiyan she had been silently cursing for the past hour was standing before her, the shower door slightly obscuring his naked body as he let the water run down him in rivets. Athea could feel her face flush, but she couldn't tear her gaze away, watching as he reached up and ran his hands slowly down his mane of hair, water dripping off his elbows. She almost swallowed her tongue at the sight of his physique, the muscles along his body bunching and contracting with every movement. She swallowed, mesmerized as he slowly turned, his back turning towards her as he rinsed his hair. Athea could feel her face burning, finally shifting her eyes away as he turned again, his chest coming into view. _This is wrong! You shouldn't be standing here gawking at the man! Leave, before he sees you!_ She swallowed, glancing back at the saiyan in the shower. Her eyes traveled on their own accord, moving over his chest and abdominal muscles. She felt her mouth water. _Damn the man's fit!_ Her eyes slowly traced the trail of hair on his stomach, hesitating for a moment before moving lower. She bit back a gasp. She saw him move, and her eyes shot up.

Athea's eyes widened in horror, realizing he had caught her ogling him. She met the smirking man's eyes, watching as he ran a hand over his hair again, holding her gaze as he reached over and turned the shower off. Athea was rooted to the spot, her eyes not moving no lower than his chin, a little apprehensive about what he would possible do to her for staring at him. She took a step back as he opened the shower door, not even bothering to ring the water out of his mane of hair.

Her back hit the wall, her eyes never leaving the large man in front of her. Raditz had a small smirk on his face, his eyes narrowed. Athea watched as he reached over without taking his eyes off her and grabbed a towel, tying it loosely over his hips. She finally tore her gaze away, her face burning with mortification. She jerked her head up at the sound of movement. Raditz took another step towards her, crowding her personal space before she could even move. She gulped as he laid a hand against the wall beside her head, leaning forward a little.

"What's the matter girl?" he growled, his eyes full of dark amusement. "Never seen a _man_ before?"

Athea fiercely shook her head, swallowing at the look the saiyan was giving her. A small gasp escaped when he moved closer, his body mere inches from hers. Her eyes widened as he swooped down. She closed her eyes, tensing a little. She jumped a moment later as his breath fanned her ear.

"That's right," Raditz whispered, his voice low. "My brother is a young cub."

A shuddered breath left Athea's lips, sounding more like a sigh. She peaked out from under her lashes, and quickly closed them again. The saiyan's bare neck and shoulders were almost pushed up against her, his hair falling forward a little to brush the side of her face. Her hands clenched at her sides, resisting the urge to reach up and touch it. She had been curious this whole time, wandering what his hair would feel like, what sort of texture it had. Athea wasn't brave enough to find out. She opened her eyes again, watching as Raditz finally moved back, a dark chuckle coming out of him at the flush on her cheeks. She bit her lip, sliding her gaze away and folding her arms.

"I wouldn't know what Goku's body looks like," Athea stated, feeling her face go a shade deeper. "I told you," she paused, meeting the tall saiyans' eyes. "I'm not your brothers' mate."

Raditz studied her for a moment, crossing his arms over his massive chest. She turned her head away when the towel slipped a little, revealing more of his hip. She heard him snort, a few minutes later heard him move to the other side of the bathroom, listening to the wet plop as his feet smacked against the tile. She chanced a glance back at the man, only to gasp and turn fully away when he let the towel drop. Athea heard his dark chuckle, the rustling of clothes filling the air as he pulled them on.

"You're still expecting me to believe that you have no relationship with Kakkarot?" Raditz scoffed, his tone clearly indicating he still did not believe her.

Athea peeked over her shoulder, meeting his eyes when she saw that he was finally dressed. She let him study her, his face showing obvious disdain. She turned away from him, her gaze going to the wall in front of her as she crossed her arms.

"No," she finally said, trying to convince the man once more. "I am not Goku's mate."

It was silent in the bathroom after that, and she bit her lip, wandering why the man was so quiet. She jumped when hands settled heavily onto her shoulders. Her body tensed, gulping as she felt his breath on the side of her neck.

"Well then," he whispered, his low voice sending a shiver through her. "I guess there's no use for you...now is there?"

Athea's eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath. Her mouth went dry and her hands balled into fists at her sides. A sliver of fear went down her spine as his hands slowly moved from her shoulders', rubbing slowly down her arms.

There was a loud knock at the front door.

The hands on her stopped, tightening for a moment before moving away. A second later the large saiyan came around her, flinging the door open and disappearing through. A soft cry came out of Athea when Raditz disappeared, her legs giving out as she sunk to the floor. She clenched her hands when she noticed them shaking, swallowing with difficulty. _Was he about to kill me!? _Her body shook at the thought, listening to the man converse with someone else in another part of the house. The sound of someone walking towards the bathroom had her scampering to her feet, trying not to show the fear that had her quaking in her shoes.

Raditz came back through the door, not even pausing as he passed the door, a moment later the sound of him rummaging through drawers reached her ears. She slowly walked towards the doorway, listening as she stared at the doorway leading to his room. Raditz came back out holding something in his hand, not even looking at her as he passed, ignoring it when she took a step back. Athea stared at his back for a moment before she realized he was holding a scouter, his hand clenched tightly around it.

Slightly puzzled, she slowly stepped into the hallway, creeping as silently as she could towards the front of the house. She could hear low voices as she got closer to the living room, stopping at the end of the wall, pressing her back to the wall as she listened.

"I don't know how!"

She recognized the voice. It was the man that came over a few weeks ago. Nappa. She heard the rustling of clothes as they moved around the room, and she peeked around the corner. Raditz was facing the window on the other side of the room, his arms crossed and his tail flicking behind him. Nappa was standing behind him, his arms crossed as well, his feet shoulder width apart. His tail was wrapped tightly around him. She could see a muscle jumping in his cheek. She jerked back when Raditz turned, biting her lip.

"How the fuck is my brother alive! I saw him die, felt it! His damn body fell on top of mine after all," the saiyan growled, his voice shadowed with fury.

"So you're wanting to go?" Nappa asked, hope appearing in his voice as he asked the question. Apparently he was looking for a little adventure.

Athea furrowed her brows, wandering exactly what they were talking about. She knew Goku got wished back, but where the hell were they planning on going!? She focused on their voices once more, her fingers tapping the wall behind her in agitation. _What are those two up too!?_

"Finally!" She heard Nappa say loudly, relief apparent in his voice. "We get to get off this planet, been awhile since we went on a mission. Well...," Athea could hear the sneer in the tall saiyan's tone. "_YOU_ had some fun all by yourself, you little bastard!"

She listened to them chuckle a little, before they started discussing their mission.

"Where are they headed again?" Raditz asked, and she could hear his voice clearly, as if he had moved closer to where she was.

"Some mudball called Namek, in quadrant K468," Nappa explained, clearly bored with this part of the discussion.

"Good," she heard Raditz say, before a tail shot around the corner and grabbed her arm. A gasp escaped her as she was jerked forward, coming within inches of her used to be favorite saiyan. Raditz grinned down at her, his eyes shining with contempt. "And you'll be coming with me little girl. After all," he paused, his grin turning into a sneer. "I'll need something to occupy my time on the way there."

Athea gulped as both saiyans laughed.

XXX

She glanced around the small room, biting her lip as her hands clasped together. Her gaze went to the floor when the saiyan across the room looked over, feeling his glare from where she sat. It wasn't a large room after all. It wasn't even a medium room! Just big enough for a bed, a dresser, and a chair sitting against the opposite wall. Athea licked her lips in nervousness, listening as Raditz rummaged through one of his bags. She didn't know what he was looking for, didn't ask, didn't want to know.

They've been floating in space now for a week, having actually acquired one of the prince's much bigger ships. He had came after all, and said something about not wanting some idiot third class soldiers "fucking it up." Athea hadn't said a word to the man, trying to ignore his sneer when Raditz had shown up with her, his tail wrapped firmly around her waist. He had immediately explained her presence as a "bargaining chip", even though she had thought she made it clear that she wasn't anything important to Goku. Maybe Raditz just wanted some company?

She glanced over at the massive saiyan.

"What the fuck are you staring at!?"

Athea quickly looked away. Maybe not. She stared at the floor, wandering what the heck she was supposed to do for the three months they were floating in space, or rather, traveling in space. When she had asked the man across from her why they weren't moving, he had sneered at her, muttering under his breath about stupid weak humans. She had tuned him out once he started spatting about her species and how they were going to fall to his hand. Whatever. She didn't want to believe he would do something like that. A shiver went down Athea's spine as she realized that she was on a ship...with three grown men...and all of them appeared to be cold blooded killers. _Oh God!_ She gulped, sliding further on the bed to get away from one of the men currently standing in her room. Correction, she was in _his _room, which he had insisted on as soon as they boarded, wanting to keep a close eye on her. When she had pointed out that there was only one bed, the man had looked at her with a gleam in his eyes, his lip curling in a dark sneer.

"We could always share," he suggested in a low voice, a smirk appearing on his face when she had scrambled away from him, resisting the urge to cross her legs in an attempt to keep _anything_ from touching her. She was only eighteen...she paused, her brows furrowing a little. No, she was nineteen now, her birthday having slipped past her in the weeks since she had landed on planet Vegetasei.

Still...she wasn't ready for anything like that. She had never dated back home, and the thought of the large saiyan touching her...she shivered, her mouth going dry as her stomach muscles quivered. Although she had liked the man on the show, he was very different than what she had imagined in real life. The saiyan was more crude, more vulgar, and much more intimidating than she had ever imagined. Nappa, surprisingly, was exactly how she thought he would be. Surly, rude, upfront, and made a point of being just plain disgusting...even for a guy. She had stayed clear of him ever since he had let one rip, choking them all as they had sat down to eat. The prince had snarled something in saiya-jin, jumping up and stalking out of the room. Later she had seen Nappa, black eye swollen shut, a massive bruise on his jaw, his lip twice as big from swelling. He had been limping slightly as well. She had figured they had sparred, or Vegeta had just beat the crap out of him.

Athea felt a shudder go through her at the thought of the prince. Now that was one man she did not want to ever go up against, his aura giving off such dark waves that even she could feel it, and she was just a pathetic human (Raditz' words, not hers). She avoided eye contact with the saiyan prince, having stared into those dark, obsidian coal black eyes just once. And once was enough. Her body shook a little at the memory, feeling her body react the same way as if he was standing here in front of her once more, glaring down at her. Her blood felt as if it congealed in her veins, her heart beating hard against her chest, slivers of terror running down her spine. The man was more terrifying in real life than portrayed in the series at home. She swallowed, fighting back the sudden urge to bolt.

Raditz finally left, snapping at her to keep her ass put until he said otherwise. Athea sighed, leaning back against the wall. It was like that every time, as if he expected her to actually be able to get away. In the dead of space. Laughable. She had no knowledge of space craft, didn't really know her way around the ship. Shoot! She would probably run into the man trying to get away from him! She snorted at the thought, shaking her head with a sigh before laying on the bed, having nothing else to do but nap. These men didn't believe in reading, because she had looked. There wasn't anything remotely resembling a book on this entire ship. There were no games, which wouldn't help her anyways. She couldn't see any of them sitting down to a game of monopoly or MadGab! So the only thing she really had to do was daydream, letting her mind wander to thoughts of her parents, her classmates, even though she didn't really like any of them. Still, thinking about them was much better than staring at the wall, slowly going mad from boredom. Hell! He wouldn't even let her go up deck, just to see a full view of space! The little port hole in the wall in the room didn't really give her an idea of the scope of what surrounded them, the idea of what space would look like. All she could see out her window was tiny space rocks and what looked like dust.

Athea sighed, closing her eyes as her mind slowly shut down, drifting off to sleep, not even rousing when the whoosh of the door opening barely penetrated through the haze of sleep as she sank under.

XXX

Raditz stood beside the bed, watching the slight woman currently taking up residence there. She was sleeping on her side, one hand curled under her chin, the other one underneath the pillow supporting her head. His gaze raked over her, a frown on his face. She really was nothing more than a girl, having been able to sense certain things once his contempt for her being his brothers mate had passed. Like the fact that she was untouched, that in her eyes, she was still a child, that no matter how much he wanted to believe that she was lying about not being intimate with Kakkarot...she wasn't. He watched her hair fan away from her face as she let slow breathes out, her face soft in sleep. Raditz clenched his hands at his sides, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the mane of dark tresses flowing behind her.

He snarled softly, gritting his teeth as he glared at the only one who he could blame for this abrupt urge to touch her, to not want to cause her harm, to keep her as far away from his companions as possible. To blame her for the voice in his head screaming at him that she was his, demanding he claim his territory before someone else comes along and nabs her. He ignored all of it, distancing himself from the girl before he made a mistake and followed the little voice in his head whispering for him to just do it, and damn the consequences. Raditz felt his body harden, whispering a few curses as he suddenly turned away, grabbing his training gear from the chair, slamming his hand against the button to open the door, telling himself he didn't care if it woke the brat up. '_She shouldn't be sleeping anyway'_ he muttered to himself, his teeth grinding together as he stomped down the ships hall. He reached the training room one floor below, noticing in the small round window that Nappa was already there, doing a series of warm-up exercises before starting his kata. Raditz entered without a word, the black storm brewing in him obviously noticeable as the larger man sneered at him.

"Someone giving you blue balls!" Nappa asked, barking with laughter when Raditz snarled at him, quickly changing and joining the bald saiyan on the mat.

"Shut the fuck up Nappa!" Raditz snapped, his teeth actually aching from the intense grinding he was putting them through, listening to the bald man snort with merriment, actually folding in half as he amused himself at the long haired saiyans expense.

Raditz let out another snarl as he launched himself at the other man, fury driving him to the point where he actually knocked Nappa to the mat, the man not moving for several minutes. He crossed his arms, his tail slashing behind him in anger as he watched his comrade struggle to his feet, a groan coming out of the large saiyan as he put a hand to his side, wheezing a little. Raditz took no joy in this like he usually would, waiting for the man to get his bearings for him to beat the shit out of him again. He was majorly pissed. At Nappa, for his fucking rude gestures and sniggering comments. At Vegeta, for not shutting the bald man up when he had first started his little fun, but encouraged it, laughing along with him. At the girl, for not being who he thought she was, for realizing that she was available for the taking. For noticing that she wasn't ready for anything like that, if ever, from him. His lip curled a little, his incisors showing. For her being so damn fucking beautiful that his stomach had flipped the first time he had seen her, a sinking sensation appearing in his chest when he had thought she was his brothers' mate. For letting him think there was a little hope that he had a chance when he had finally realized that she wasn't Kakkarots' mate. She wasn't anyone's!

He watched Nappa get to his feet, swooping down and driving his foot into the man's chest, listening dispassionately as the bald saiyan smacked the wall, a grunt passing his lips.

"Damn Raditz!" Nappa choked out, holding his chest, where his sternum is located. "What the fuck man! I was just having a little fun! You used to do it all the time when my mate was alive!"

The saiyan in question turned his back on the other man in the room, marching over to his things and jerking them off the floor, stalking to the portal door. He didn't pause as Nappa yelled after him, asking where his pansy ass was going. Raditz suddenly paused, burying his fist into the wall. He immediately regretted it, knowing the prince was going to shove his boot up his ass once he sees it. Literally. He groaned, wiping a hand down his face, a mix between a sigh and a growl coming from his throat. He was fucked all the way around. He rubbed the back of his neck, underneath the heavy mass of hair. He leaned against the wall for a moment before straightening, pivoting on the balls of his feet and stomping back towards the training room.

Nappa looked up with a smirk when Raditz appeared once more, not saying anything this time as the long haired saiyan threw his things aside and automatically launched himself at the bald warrior. A satisfied smile appeared on Nappa's face at the look on the other mans' features, knowing he was going to get a good work out from him...for once. He grunted. _Maybe the woman should give him blue balls more often!_

Raditz went at Nappa fiercely, sending a barrage of punches and kicks towards his sparring partner as he tried to ignore the knowledge of the young woman one level up, asleep in his bed, unaware of the turmoil coursing through him these past few days. He had made sure he was rude to her, direct and to the point so that she wouldn't know anything about his want for her, the desire to slam her against the wall and have his way with her. The large possibility of permanently hurting her or killing her stopped him. He didn't want to murder the damn woman!

He increased his speed, trying to block out thoughts of the virgin filling his mind, filling his senses with her scent, watching how timid she becomes around him. Raditz snarled in outrage, sending a right hook towards Nappa's head, only to have the saiyan duck with ease, burying his own fist in Raditz' kidneys. He groaned, taking a deep breath through the pain as he retaliated, his fist smacking baldy straight in the nose, listening to the crunch of cartilage, ignoring the man's shouts as he swung his knee, planting it in the older man's gut. He let Nappa float away from him, a hand holding his nose as if to stop the flow of blood running down his face. Raditz smirked, his incisors showing as he sent a dark smile to his opponent, before rushing forward, engaging the man in another intense sparring match.

They both landed hard on the mat hours later, breathing heavily. The stench of blood was in the air, the coppery taste coating Raditz' tongue and burning his throat. It seeped out of a gash on his forehead, a bone splitting skin on his lower leg, pain sizzling up his thigh as he moved it. Nappa was in similar condition, his lower right arm broke and hanging, a deep contusion running down his thigh. Raditz closed his eyes, letting a sigh out. The spar had been just what he needed, blanking out his mind and getting a lot of frustration off his chest.

They both looked up when the door opened, the prince strolling through. Raditz watched him eye them, lying there bloody on the mat. The prince's lip curled slightly before he spoke.

"I see you're both finished," he stated, slowly walking forward, his arms crossed.

Raditz and Nappa both swallowed at the look in the prince's eyes, his tail swinging slowly behind him.

"Now that your done with your little spat, I'd like to know which one of you put a hole in my ship," he stated softly, his eyes boring into both men.

Raditz gulped, chancing a glance over at Nappa. He had a frown on his face, his eyes slightly shadowed, almost as if he felt sorry for the long haired saiyan. Raditz shook his head, clearing his thoughts of that ridiculous notion. He slowly got up as best he could, careful not to put too much pressure on his injured leg, hoping he could make it to the regeneration tank soon before the wound tried to heal on its own. He heard Nappa slowly gain his feet as well, taking a step away from him.

His head smacked the wall behind him a moment later, his vision blurring slightly as the prince advanced, casually walking up to him as if he was taking a stroll through a park. He gasped for air seconds later, Vegeta's hand buried to his elbow in his stomach. He fell to his knees a moment later as the prince stepped back, being rolled over a minute later by a boot in his side. He groaned, staring up at the blurry outline of his prince hovering over him. He winced as Vegeta's face got closer, the man's features impassive as he stared down at him. A sneer crossed the princes' face before he snarled.

"Just because you can't fuck the girl doesn't mean you damage what is mine," Vegeta said softly, a small shiver going down Raditz' spine. He fought blackness, feeling his prince move closer. "As payback," Vegeta whispered, making Raditz swallow. "I'm going to damage something of yours," he stated. Raditz eyes widened, a snarl ripping from his throat as his thoughts went to the girl in his room, her spine or neck easily snapping underneath Vegeta's fingers. A feral growl ripped from his throat as he tried to get up, the fist flying towards his face stopping him as he sank back onto the mat, sinking into oblivion.

XXX

Vegeta stood slowly, narrowing his eyes down at the unconscious saiyan. His lip curled a little, remembering the wild look in the third classes eyes as he spoke. He looked over at Nappa, studying the man for a moment before looking back down at the warrior at his feet. He nudged him in his side, crossing his arms.

"What the fuck was that about?" he snapped, a deep frown marring his face. He looked over as the older man stayed silent.

Nappa's brows were narrowed, his eyes studying the younger saiyan for a moment before meeting the prince's eyes. He crossed his own arms, a muscle jumping in his cheek.

"I believe," he paused, slowly making his way over towards the trio, stopping at Raditz' head and shaking his own. "He thought you were talking about the girl," Nappa stated, a frown appearing on his face as he studied the saiyan on the floor.

"Feh!" Vegeta spat, a sound of disgust erupting from him as he moved away. "I'm not going to touch the brat," he stated, glancing over his shoulder at Raditz, his lip curling a little. "Get his ass up and put him in the tank," Vegeta commanded, watching with an impassive expression as Nappa bent forward, ignoring the wince of pain that came from the man as he hoisted Raditz' large body onto his shoulder.

"And Nappa," the prince waited for the taller man to look at him, "Don't let him know that I didn't touch her," a malevolent smile appeared on his face. "Let him stew about it until he finds out for himself," he commanded, waiting for Nappa to nod before turning, not looking back as he exited the training room, leading the way to the med ward that housed the regeneration tanks.

He didn't offer to help as Nappa shoved the long haired saiyan into one, being none too gentle as he slapped the mask onto the man's face, wheezing a little himself. The bald saiyan climbed into the other one, not saying a word, knowing from experience that Vegeta will start both of them up and leave them to heal on their own. He avoided the princes' gaze, still a little embarrassed with how close the third class saiyan had come to beating the shit out of him. He was a first class! How the hell did Raditz get the upper hand so much!? His brows furrowed a little, deciding to ponder about it later.

His eyes met the prince's briefly when the man looked up, quickly sliding his gaze away to hide some of his embarrassment. He met the prince's eyes when his gurgled voice reached his ears, feeling his face heat in shame at his prince seeing him almost beaten. Vegeta's eyes were serious as they bore into his, making him slightly uncomfortable, but he didn't look away.

"What the hell is his problem?" The prince asked, his eyes shifting slightly to the right to glance at Raditz before returning back to him.

Nappa thought about the little human in one of the rooms' above, not really having the words to describe everything he had seen these past few days. Things he hadn't realized would affect the younger saiyan. So he put it in terms he knew the prince would understand.

"Blue balls."

The prince barked with laughter, turning away and quickly exiting the med ward. Nappa could hear his second round of mirth down the hall, feeling a small smile appear on his own face. He closed his eyes, letting the meds administered in the jell take affect. He realized something before he finally drifted off.

It had been years since he'd heard the prince genuinely laugh.

XXX

Athea didn't know what was going on, but something was up. They have been out in space for going on three weeks, and within the last two, the men have all been acting weird. Especially around her! Raditz had come barreling into the room, waking her from a sound sleep two weeks ago, snapping her out of bed and sniffing her neck. She hadn't known what he was doing, and had stood there, terrified he was going to force her or beat her. He hadn't done any of those things, just let out a sound of disgust and stalked out, the door seeming to slam shut as it lowered behind him. It had been even more confusing when she had waken up from her nap hours before that happened, only to meet the cold black eyes of the prince. He had glared down at her, a small smirk appearing on his face as she tried to scramble away from him. He had grabbed her chin, holding her in place as he bent down, amusement appearing in his eyes. Athea had been terrified!

The prince hadn't said anything, just slowly removed his glove from his other hand and wrapped it around her neck. Athea had to resist the urge to struggle, knowing he could snap her neck like a twig. Her body had shuddered in terror, certain he was going to do something to her. But he didn't, just chuckled darkly at the look in her eyes before moving away, casually pulling his glove back on as he left the chamber, not looking back.

Now they were all acting weird. Nappa would snigger whenever she would pass, amusement on his face, a sneer crossing his lips. Raditz would glare at her, more so than usual, his mouth curling slightly every time, showing his canines. That made Athea want to bolt for the nearest exit, if only to get away from the madness seeming to slowly descend on its occupants. And the prince! He was the most puzzling. After the episode in her room, he had avoided her the rest of the day...until Raditz showed up again. Whenever the long haired saiyan was in the vicinity, Vegeta would leer at her, his eyes heavy lidded, a secretive smile on his face, although Athea had no clue what he was being secretive about. She tried to avoid them, but it was like they sought her out, seeming for their own amusement. She could tell Nappa thought it was hilarious, barking with laughter and holding his gut, sometimes letting farts out that he couldn't contain. Her nose wrinkled at the thought, biting her lip as she peeked around the corner. She sighed with relief, quickly making her way towards the shower, crossing her fingers that she didn't run into any of the crazy saiyans inhabiting the ship with her.

"What are you up to girly!"

Athea froze, a small groan coming out of her as she turned, resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose as Nappa walked up to her, a large grin on his face. She took a step back, noticing the teasing glint in his eye. She'd come to find out that that was never good.

"Nothing," she said quietly, a squeak coming out of her as he suddenly bent down, his face mere inches from her own.

"What did you say," he murmured, a smirk gracing his lips as she swallowed, trying to take a step to the side without him noticing. His arm shot out, stopping her.

Athea gulped, absently wandering if space and being confined to a ship made saiyans just a little crazy. "I said nothing," she said again, her gaze sliding away as he straightened. She tried to back away from the close proximity of the bald saiyan, but her back was against the wall. Literally, she had nowhere to go. She crossed her arms, her foot shuffling as they stood in silence, her wandering what he wanted in the first place. Or if he was just as bored as she was, and trying to fill it with some sort of interaction.

A gasp came out of her a moment later, her gaze shooting to his as her eyes went round. Nappa took a step towards her, crowding her personal space just as Raditz appeared from around the corner. A breath of relief left her, and she relaxed slightly, hoping the long-haired saiyan would 'save' her from his mammoth comrade. Imagine her surprise when he sent her a dark look, his lip curling slightly before he passed, not sparing them another glance. Athea stared wide-eyed at the man's back until he went around the corner, disappearing from her view. She swallowed, jumping slightly as Nappa suddenly chuckled, sniggering a little as he turned, going the opposite direction as the younger saiyan. Athea's head swiveled back and forth, wandering exactly what just happened. She was studying the spot Raditz disappeared to when he came back around the corner, not even acknowledging her. Athea swallowed, taking a deep breath, trying to gather her courage.

"Raditz," she began, only to be cut off by his animalistic growl, the sound making her hair stand on end. She quickly backed away from him, even though he was already heading away from her. She stared after him, resisting the urge to bang her head against the wall in frustration. What the hell was going on!? Raditz was madder than hell, Nappa thought everything she did was godawful funny, and Vegeta acted as if they had some secret between them. But the only secret she had kept from Raditz was when she had woken up and Vegeta had been there in the room, slowly terrifying her to death as he wrapped a hand around her throat, only to practically laugh in amusement before he left, her body unharmed. Athea bit her lip. Was that what Raditz was pissed about? That she didn't tell him the prince was in his room? She knew the saiyans liked their privacy, but she thought the long-haired man was going a little overboard, especially since he was aiming his anger at her!

She gulped. Was he so mad because she had 'let' Vegeta in the room, although how the hell she was supposed to stop a saiyan, she didn't know. Athea sighed, putting the thought of a halfway relaxing shower out of her mind and made her way through the ship, intent on finding the stubborn saiyan she "shared" a room with.

XXX

Raditz leaned against the wall in his room, his hand balled into a fist against the metal. He knew better than to damage the interior, even though he wanted to so bad so many times these past few weeks, he's surprised he hasn't went ahead and did it, and damn the consequences. He glared out the small round window, not really seeing what was in front of him as he clenched his jaw, thinking of what he'd witnessed earlier. His free hand balled into a tight fist, wanting to plant it in Nappa's fucking smirking face, his muscles quivering with the strain of holding himself back from flying from the room, making a fool of himself all over again. Raditz' face darkened. Yes, he made a fool of himself in front of his prince. And for what? A woman that apparently lifted her skirts for any randy warrior that comes along!? His arm flew back, stopping himself mere inches form burying his fist through the wall. A snarl left him as he pushed off the wall, pacing rapidly back and forth, his tail jerking in fury behind him. If she'd give herself away so freely, then why shouldn't he just take what he wanted, and fuck whatever comes afterward!? He felt his jaw harden at the thought, his eyes narrowing to slits. Why the _fuck_ would she willingly give herself to the prince and Nappa, but not him!? He's the one that's been taking care of her this whole time! He's the one providing the clothes on her back! The food in her belly!

Raditz felt his groin tighten at the thought of Athea on her back, willing and waiting for him. He groaned, cursing a blue streak and pausing in the middle of the room. He took two steps, reaching the wall and banging his forehead against it, repeating the process until all he heard was a ringing in his ears. He let out a sigh of frustration, gritting his teeth as he thought of a cold shower. Raditz nodded his head. Yeah, a cold shower will shrivel him right up, and he won't have to worry about embarrassing himself whenever that bitch was around. He reached for one of the clean towels on the chair, his head jerking up as the door to his chamber slid open. He felt a snarl rip from his throat as he caught sight of the object of his desire and fury standing in the doorway. He ignored the widening of her eyes, fear appearing in those green orbs as he grabbed her by the front of her shirt, yanking her into the room.

Raditz half heard the door slid shut as he pushed her against the wall, his hand wrapped around her throat. He let another snarl out, watching in furious satisfaction as her skin went ashen, her eyes pleading with him not to hurt her. Raditz felt his body react to her pressed against him, biting back a moan as he glared down at her, holding her gaze.

"What the _fuck_ do you want!" he growled, feeling her shiver underneath his touch. His hand moved on its own, cupping the back of her neck and letting his fingers slid through her hair. Raditz made a conscious effort to breathe through his mouth, not wanting to strengthen his desire by inhaling her scent. He heard her swallow, waiting for her to voice what she wanted.

"Me and Nappa-"

"I don't want to fucking here about it!" Raditz snapped, his hand tightening around her hair, ignoring her small cry of pain. He moved closer to her, raking his gaze over her before his face darkened. His lip curled slightly, showing one gleaming incisor, not acknowledging the shiver that ran through her small frame.

"Vegeta-"

Raditz slapped his hand against the wall beside her head, a mix between a growl and a snarl coming out of him, firmly cutting her words off. He lowered his head until their faces were inches apart, his eyes snapping. He ignored the terror rolling off her in waves, small growls emitting from his throat.

"I told you I didn't want to hear about you _fucking_ someone else!" he snapped, his fingers making indentions in the wall as they curled, his tail slapping the air behind him. He swallowed, biting back a few curses as he sucked in a breath, slowly letting it out. He wrapped an arm around her, succumbing to the urge to feel her body against his, closing his eyes as he buried his nose in her neck and sucked in her scent.

His eyes snapped open a moment later, freezing with her still trembling against him. He didn't move for several seconds, drawing in another breath to be sure. Raditz felt his right eye twitch, fury like he'd never felt before swirling in his gut, slowly moving to his chest as he straightened, studying the woman looking up at him with doe eyes, absolutely terrified.

A muscle jumped in his jaw for a moment before he swooped down, capturing her lips, knowing that he should be more gentle, but not being able to help the fury pouring off him, insinuated in the kiss as he wretched away from her, stalking out the door towards the two powers currently in the training room, one floor below. Raditz felt his lip curl back in a snarl, his sight going red as he stepped through, not saying a word as he launched himself at his prince.

XXX

Athea let the breath out she'd been holding, waiting for the spots to clear from her vision as she slowly sank to the floor. _What the hell just happened!?_ She ran a shaking hand through her hair, her brain still trying to process what had just transpired. She came in to talk to Raditz, the man blew up at her, accusing her of...Athea swallowed, a tremor going through her..._sleeping_ with Nappa and Vegeta, and then...then...he had yanked her to him, taking a deep breath before he had frozen...holding her tightly against him before he had moved away...then he had _kissed_ her! A hand lifted and touched her slightly swollen lips. Why did he kiss her? Why did he accuse her of sleeping with the others, only to turn around and...Athea flushed...make out with her? She gulped, standing on shaky legs and sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. She rubbed the back of her neck, wincing a little at the still tender spot where he had yanked her hair.

She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. None of this has made any sense to her, and she desperately wished she was back home, where things were normal, she wasn't being stalked by three saiyans, two for the fun of it and the other...Athea sighed. She really didn't know what was going on under that mass of hair Raditz had, wandering slightly if he had been _jealous_ ( a little far fetched girl!), or he just didn't like the others being around his property. She winced at the word, pinching her lips together. As long as she was here, in the long haired saiyans company, that's what she would be seen as. Athea sighed, suddenly feeling a lot older than her nineteen years. She jumped up a moment later as the ship shook, a squeak coming out of her as she dove under the bed, hoping whatever it was, it wasn't life threatening.

The ship shook again and she gasped, swallowing with difficulty as it settled once more. After a few minutes of nothing happening, she finally emerged, hitting the button on the wall that lifted the door, peeking out. She bit her lip, looking around. Athea didn't see anyone, but went ahead and ducked back into the room anyway, firmly shutting the door behind her. Whatever that was, she _really_ hoped they weren't being attacked. She crawled onto the bed, her back to the wall as she watched the door to the chamber warily. She let out a small sigh, folding her arms.

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, she was jerked awake by the sound of the door opening, a silhouette of a man filling the doorway. Her breath hitched and her heart skipped a beat before she realized it was Raditz, not an intruder. She pressed a hand to her chest, willing her heart to stop racing as the large saiyan stepped through, letting the door slid shut behind him. Athea swallowed, blinking rapidly, trying to see better in the dark. All she could make out was the barest of outlines of his body, the man's hair blacker than the surrounding darkness. She tried to make herself smaller on the bed, wandering why he was just standing there, not turning on the light and not speaking. She jumped a moment later at the feel of an arm around her waist, a small squeak of surprise coming out of her at the heavy weight. The saiyan seemed to ignore it, pulling her firmly against him. Athea swallowed, her body so tense she was starting to get cramps in her legs. She flinched slightly when his head suddenly buried in her neck, the sound of him taking a large breath loud in the room. Athea swallowed again, not daring to move a muscle.

"Wh...what are you do...doing?" she whispered, balling her hands in her shirt when the saiyan didn't immediately respond. She heard him sigh a moment later, his breath hot against her skin.

"Confirming something," Raditz growled softly, the timber of his voice making her shiver slightly.

She bit her lip, not moving until he distanced himself from her once more, his arm staying firm around her waist. Athea chewed her lower lip in thought, wandering how she was going to get out of this without getting harmed, or worse. Raditz finally did it for her, moving away as he straightened up, grabbing the extra pillow and making himself comfortable on the floor. Her eyes widened, staring bug eyed down at him. Raditz _never_ slept on the floor! She jumped a little when a small growl permitted the room.

"Go to sleep brat," Raditz said in the dark, his voice slightly softer than it has been since she was abducted by the man. Athea swallowed, not saying anything as she slowly laied back down, her brows furrowed in thought, wandering about the going on's the past few weeks, about the man softly snoring not a foot from her on the floor. Athea gulped, the noise loud in the slightly silent room.

About the kiss he gave her a few hours ago.

XXX

~Chapter by GVLuver~


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Language!**

Facing the Future

Chapter 7

Athea stayed in the room almost the rest of the trip, only coming out to bathe and eat. The saiyans didn't bring up the little prank they played on her weeks ago, therefore pissing Raditz off. All for their own amusement. Athea bit her lip, glancing over at the saiyan in question.

They were eating dinner, some sort of rice concoction that was thrown together. She didn't ask what was in it. Was scared too! She forked a piece of what looked like pork, studying it for a moment before sliding it off, instead scooping some 'rice' into her mouth. She refused to think of it as anything but rice. It was easier that way. If she thought too hard about it, she would starve while on this ship!

She sat her fork down, letting out a soft sigh, listening with half an ear as the men practically shoveled food into their mouths without breathing. Or chewing! She avoided watching them eat, instead studying the table until the long-haired saiyan beside her finished.

She had learned her lesson a few days ago. Having just finished their mid-day meal, she had been confident she could find the room without any help. Imagine her surprise when she got so turned around, she didn't know which way was which. She had finally stopped, sinking down onto the floor, waiting for someone to hopefully come along. She had been terrified of the possibility of nobody coming, leaving her to die of starvation or thirst. Raditz had finally showed up after what seemed like hours later, and she had burst into tears at the sight of him. Much to her embarrassment. But, surprisingly, the man hadn't said anything, just motioned for her to get up and follow him. Athea didn't traipse around the corridors by herself anymore, unless she was going to the shower. At least she knew her way _there, _not having to have the massive saiyan escort her every time she had to go to the _bathroom_!

Athea peeked over at the man, thoughts of that kiss still swirling around in her mind. She folded her arms, biting her bottom lip. She jumped a moment later when her plate was whisked out from under her nose, devoured before she could even look up to see who had taken it. She figured it must have been Raditz, seeing as how he was still eating as the other two men sat back, letting out small sighs. She tensed slightly as Nappa grunted, hoping he didn't pass any gas and drive them out of the room again. The man was just way beyond disgusting. No manners whatsoever! Why did Raditz want him to come again!?

Athea's head jerked up as Raditz stood, following him out of the room without a word as he quickly left, not looking back to see if she'd follow. She knew he knew she would. She'd been trailing him since she got lost, not wanting to experience that fear again. He pointed once they rounded a few corners, not pausing as he passed the door indicated. Athea stopped, glancing at the door before watching the massive saiyan disappear down some steps. She walked over, waiting for the door to slid open, taking a step in and letting the darkness descend as the door shut behind her. She let out a loud sigh, reaching over and cutting on a light. The saiyan must be going to train. She grunted softly, catching herself a moment later. Great! Now she was picking up his mannerisms! Athea rolled her eyes at herself, quickly changing into what she deemed sleep wear, a large shirt and stretch pants. She didn't know where Raditz got the clothing, having never seen anything belonging to a female the whole time she had been at his house. Nor on the ship. So where did he get these clothes from!? She shook her head, deciding it best not to question anything the man did so literately. He was actually being a little nice to her for a change.

He didn't snap at her when she asked him a question now, just sort of grunted. Athea became accustomed to interpreting what his grunts meant, from "No" to "Don't give a fuck". She bit her lip, climbing under the covers. The prince had seemed in an irritable mood earlier, so their sparring match would probably last awhile. At times like these, sometimes Athea didn't see Raditz until the "next day". Or what she deemed the next day. It was after she woke up, so...

It was hard to tell nighttime from day, the only indication was her body signals. She would get tired after dinner, and wake up several hours later, to start the day over again. These saiyans didn't believe in clocks, so she never knew what time it was. She often wandered how they knew what time to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And all the other times they ate. Maybe they didn't, maybe they just ate when they felt like it. Athea softly chuckled at that thought, not in the least surprised if that's what they were doing. She listened to her breathing in the silent room, staring up at the ceiling. She listened to the sounds of the ship, now familiar enough for her that she automatically tuned them out, not hearing them unless she focused on them. Like now. She heard the clank of pipes in the walls, a door whooshing shut somewhere down the hall. It sounded like the ship groaned, vibrating a little. Athea sighed, her thoughts going to the planet they were headed towards. Namek. Excitement bubbled in her chest, and she smiled. She would actually get to see Namek! Well...her smile slipped, replaced with a frown...that is if Raditz lets her off the dang ship! She grumbled a little at that thought, rolling onto her side. She closed her eyes after awhile, feeling light-headed. It washed over her as she dozed, staying in the realm of half-awake, half-asleep for awhile, before finally going under fully, thoughts of green namekians and a long-haired saiyan filling her dreams.

XXX

Raditz watched her eyes flutter, a whimper coming out of her a moment later. He had returned from his sparring match hours ago, intent on doing nothing but sleep for several hours. Instead he was sitting on the floor, watching the girl as she seemed to struggle in her sleep, gasps and small whimpers coming out of her every now and then. Her eyes flinched briefly, her hands balling into the pillow underneath her.

Apparently she was having a nightmare.

Raditz sighed, looking away. He wasn't going to get any sleep with the damn woman making all that noise! He looked back over, fixing to reach over and shake her when she let out a small cry, shooting to a sitting position. Raditz let his body relax, giving no indication that he was fixing to rouse her. He settled his arm on his raised knee once more, listening to her shallow breaths as she blinked the sleep from her eyes, glancing around nervously before realizing she was awake. Raditz narrowed his eyes.

"Oh," she whispered, after catching sight of him sitting on the floor. Raditz watched her tug the blanket closer, heard her swallow in the quiet room. "I...I hope I didn't wake you," the woman said softly, earning a grunt from him.

"I wasn't asleep," Raditz stated, looking away from her once more before leaning back, settling in his makeshift bed. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes, slowly letting his body relax now that the girl wasn't making that godawful noise.

Raditz was jerked out of his dozing a few minutes later at the sound of Athea's voice, his eyes cracking open as he scowled.

"What?" he barked, irritation running through him. He was tired, dammit! And now the girl wanted to talk! Hell!

"I said, how was your training session," she asked softly. Raditz could hear the covers moving, rustling lasting for several seconds before her face appeared above him, leaning over the bed.

He frowned, closing his eyes to the sight. "Fine," he practically snapped, listening to the silence for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief, letting sleep overtake him once more.

"Goodnight Raditz."

Those soft words brought him out of his doze once again, his brows furrowing. He studied the side of the bed, listening to the girl settle back under the covers. He let out a silent sigh, studying the ceiling for awhile, deep in thought.

It was hours before he finally succumbed to sleep.

XXX

Athea let a small breath out, her eyes wide. They were floating just over the planet Namek, getting situated before descending on the unsuspecting race. Raditz had brought her up here almost an hour ago, then promptly ignored her as him and the prince did a maintenance check.

She looked behind her, where the two were looking over the fuel intake valves and checking the outer perimeter of the ship. They were softly talking amongst themselves, well...Vegeta was growling orders and Raditz was responding. Nappa had disappeared awhile ago, and she had no clue what he was doing. Athea looked back towards the massive window, swallowing hard. It had been exciting, yes...but to actually be there was a whole other story. She knew what happened on that planet. Well, what was _supposed_ to happen. Things haven't exactly gone according to what knowledge she had of the series.

"Alright, that should do it."

The sound of Raditz' voice brought her out of her thoughts, turning towards the two. He was standing from laying underneath the console, having checked some small glitch in the ships' terminal. That was another thing that she hadn't known, that had came as a complete surprise to her.

Raditz was tech savvy, although he kept that knowledge tightly under wraps.

She didn't let on that she had figured that out, because the man acted as if he had no clue what she was talking about, when she had mentioned it once when she had caught him fiddling with his scouter one morning.

Athea didn't press the issue, just let it be. She knew for certain that the man was a lot smarter than he let on. She had laied there and watched him tinker with the device that morning, and she could tell that he knew what he was doing.

The prince grunted, turning towards the window and sitting in the control chair. He didn't once look over at her, having ignored her since him and Nappa had their fun with screwing with Raditz. The door slid open, Nappa strolling in.

"And where the fuck have you been?" Vegeta asked, not looking up from the control dash, his fingers moving over the keys.

A grin spread on the tall man's face, and he rubbed his bald head. He let out a small chuckle.

"Letting a load off," Nappa explained, rubbing his stomach.

Athea's nose scrunched in disgust, moving away from the man. Vegeta and Raditz sent him a disgusted look, the prince's lip curling back.

"Stay the fuck away from me," he stated, looking back down at the controls. "Get your asses in the seats. We're fixing to descend."

Raditz moved towards her, brushing passed Athea and taking the additional front seat. He buckled up before glancing over at her, flicking his head at the seat behind him. Athea nodded slightly, not saying anything as she buckled in, trying to hold her breath as Nappa sat beside her. She wasn't successful, coughing as she caught a whiff of the man. He smelled like diarrhea!

"What the hell is that!?" Vegeta said loudly, his tone laced with disgust. He glanced behind him, letting a snarl out. "Did you even clean yourself!?"

"Of course Prince Vegeta," Nappa said simply, shifting in his seat.

A moment later a loud sound ripped through the air.

"Oh God!" Raditz shouted, coughing.

"I'm going to fucking kill you Nappa!" Vegeta snarled, covering his nose with both hands. "You're revolting!"

Athea copied the prince, covering her nose as tightly as possible. Her eyes watered, looking out the large window as the planet came closer and closer.

_Please hurry! Let me off of here!_

Her eyes never left the scenery in front of her as they broke through the atmosphere, her hands still clenched over her face. In fact, everyone's was.

Except for Nappa.

Vegeta was still snarling and snapping curse words at the bald man, and Raditz was glaring at the man, his eyes glistening at they teared up.

Athea's shoulders fell in relief as they finally came close to land, the ship shaking a little as they landed. She scrambled to unbuckle her seat belt, Raditz and the prince already standing. The long haired saiyan disappeared within seconds, while Vegeta let out a snarl, punching the bald man behind him hard in the jaw. Athea's eyes widened a little as Nappa's head jerked back, before falling forward. He didn't move.

"Nasty son of a bitch," Vegeta snapped, glancing over at her before crossing his arms and leaving the control room.

Athea stood, quickly leaving the room and the aroma coming from it. She followed the prince, since Raditz had already left. She followed him out of the ship, pausing behind him when he stopped on the lowered dock. His tail unwrapped from his waist, flicking back and forth slightly. She saw his head cock a little to the right before the sound of him sniffing the air reached her ears.

"What is that...smell," he said softly.

Athea saw his shoulders tense, his tail quivering a little before doing a little mesmerizing dance. He suddenly sucked in a breath, slowly turning towards her. Athea took a step back when she saw the gleam in his eyes.

"Oh shit!" Raditz said from somewhere outside, before he appeared at the bottom of the ramp. Athea gulped, looking over Vegeta's shoulder at the long haired saiyan, a question in her eyes.

"What-" she asked, her voice shaking a little.

She cut off when Vegeta took a step up, moving closer to her. He suddenly leaned forward, his eyes piercing as he slowly inhaled.

"Prince Vegeta," Raditz said quickly, his voice slightly apprehensive. He waited until the prince slowly turned, those black obsidian orbs lit with an unnatural light.

That was the longest minute of Athea's life.

"I sensed some powerful ki signal's off to the right, several miles away sire," Raditz stated, swallowing when Vegeta finally turned his head and looked at him.

The man finally moved, his tail still twitching as he reached the ground. The prince didn't look back at her as he lifted into the air. Raditz met her eyes as he hurried over to her, his gaze sharpening on her face when he caught a whiff of what was making the prince react that way towards her.

"Go," he commanded softly, his voice a octave lower than usual.

Athea opened and closed her mouth, confused as to what was making them change so suddenly. She felt a warmth in her lower region, and her eyes widened. Athea could feel her face go beat red and took a step back.

"You'd better take care of that brat," Raditz said softly, his tail starting to flicker exactly like the prince's. "You don't want three horny saiyans attacking you, believe me when I tell you girl, it won't be very pleasant for you."

Athea felt her face burn even more, flustered and completely mortified. They were reacting to her...her menstrual cycle! She swallowed hard, avoiding the man's gaze as she went back into the ship.

How the heck was she supposed to avoid another confrontation like that!?

"Aw, man!" she whined as she reached her room, shifting through the stuff the man had given her over the passed month, before going towards the bathroom.

She had to stay on the ship after all! Well, until this little problem passed. She scowled at herself, frustrated that she would have to be cooped up in this damn ship for the next several days before it was safe for her to leave.

Her face flushed again, remembering the look Raditz had been given her. His heavy lidded eyes, the gleam in them as they trailed over her figure. Oh God! She swallowed, a small shiver running through her. Did she _want_ the saiyan to make a move on her!?

Her brain shouted _"Yes!"_ as she stepped into the shower, biting her lip. Athea resisted the urge to bang her head against the shower tiles. Was she an idiot!? The man didn't like her like that! And she was too young, well...too young in her mind. He was a _man!_

And she was just his ward.

XXX

~Chapter by GVLuver~


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: Language and sequences of violence**

Facing the Future

Chapter 8

It was a very boring four days...

Athea stayed in the ship for another day, just to be sure. She sighed as she stepped out of the ship, taking a deep breath of the clean air. It was refreshing after all that recycled air on the ship, and she sucked in another breath. She glanced around, not seeing any of the saiyans' that she had been cooped up with for the whole trip.

Her arm was snatched as soon as she stepped on the ground. Her head whipped around, her nose automatically scrunching up.

"Heh, You're not running off girly," Nappa stated, a small sneer on his face. "You're gonna sit your ass down and not move unless I tell you," he said, jerking her a little. Her butt smacked the ground, a grunt coming out of her.

The man walked away from her, his tail swishing back and forth as he looked up at the sky. A sigh left him. Athea swallowed, discretely moving a little to the left so she wasn't directly behind him.

"Where is everybody?" she asked softly, seeing his ears twitch a little as she spoke.

Nappa glanced over his shoulder at her, a disgruntled look appearing across his features.

"They went to look for those dragonballs," he frowned a little, "and I've been appointed to watch over your ass, so don't try me little girl."

Athea bit her lip, her shoulders drooping a little. She would have preferred being looked after by _Vegeta_ instead of this nasty saiyan. At least he didn't pass gas all the time and scratch inappropriate places. Even though the man scared the crap out of her, at least he wasn't disgusting.

Athea listened to the silence, breaking it every now and then by clearing her throat or shifting on the ground. Every time she moved, Nappa would glance at her, his bald head shining as he shot her a look that said "Don't even think about it."

After what seemed like hours, her attention went from watching the grass grow towards the bald, burly saiyan as he grunted loudly. His shoulders' were tense, his tail wrapping around his waist. She watched him cross his arms, studying something in the sky. She looked, but didn't see anything.

"What is it?" she asked softly, a little nervous at the way he was acting.

Nappa didn't answer right away, slowly turning towards her. "Get in the ship," he commanded roughly, his brows narrowed.

Athea stood to do as he said, gulping when he suddenly whirled back around, his tail whipping through the air. A growl emitted from the man's throat, and Athea took a step back in response.

"Ah, I thought it was your ugly, bald ass."

Athea jerked her head over at the unfamiliar voice, gasping in an unsteady breath. What now!?

"Shut up you fucking lap dog! And who you callin' ugly!? At least I'm not pink ," Nappa snarled, unfolding his arms. Athea flinched back as he powered up, moving behind the massive leg of the ship.

"Ha! Look eh' here Zarbon! He thinks he can fight me," the strange voice erupted with laughter, a moment later something clinked against the dirt.

Athea peeked out from behind the steel leg, her eyes widening when she caught sight of the familiar orange ball sitting on the ground.

The four star dragonball!

Her gaze flicked to Nappa. The man had an enraged expression marring his features, a vein popping on his forehead. He grunted as he powered up even more, before a yell ripped from his throat as he launched an attack on the two aliens standing in front of him.

Athea squeezed her eyes closed, moving back out of sight and slowly sliding to a crouch. She covered her ears as blasts and screams rang out. She swallowed, a tear leaking out. She knew the saiyan didn't have a chance. She recognized both aliens as soon as she saw them, though their appearance kind of surprised her.

Zarbon and Dodoria.

A sob escaped her as the ground shook, blasts lighting up the sky. She could see them even with her eyes closed. There was sudden silence.

She held her breath to dispel another sob, before cracking her eyes open.

Athea screamed at the sight of Zarbon in front of her, gazing down at her with a small smirk. He grabbed her as she tried to scramble away.

"Well," he said softly, his voice low and silky, "What do we have here?"

She felt the blood drain from her face as he shot her a smile, his eyes hard. A chuckle came from Dodoria as he made his way over, a nasty sneer spreading across his lips.

He grunted. "You think Frieza would let us keep her?" the pink alien asked, licking his lips.

Athea let out another terrified scream, thrashing in the taller aliens' hold. They both seemed to ignore her, the short, fat pink soldier taking a step towards her and pinching her side. She jerked in response, trying to move away from him.

"She doesn't have much meat on her bones, does she?" Dodoria frowned, raking his gaze over her before letting a grunt out.

"I doubt Frieza would want anything to do with this one, though she smells like that monkey Vegeta," Zarbon said, "We'll just have to wait until the masters' seen her."

Small gasps escaped Athea as she listened to their conversation, her heart pounding. She didn't even want to contemplate what they wanted from her, just wanted away from here, away from these two aliens.

Dodoria's frown deepened, picking up the dragonball while eying her. "But I'm hungry now!" he whined.

Athea felt her heart stop at his words, a choking sound coming out of her. _Oh my God! They want...they want to __**snack**__ on me! _Another scream of terror ripped from her throat as they took off, Zarbon throwing her over his shoulder.

"Come Dodoria, let's get back to our pods. Frieza's waiting for us to return to the ship."

She watched in absolute fear as the ground got smaller and smaller, the sight of Nappa's mutilated body disappearing within seconds. A sob caught in her throat as tears fell from her eyes.

Where were Raditz and Vegeta!?

XXX

Their heads came up as they felt the spike in energy. They both rose into the air, Vegeta letting the green soldier formerly known as Guldo fall to the ground with a loud thud. The short, fat aliens' head rolled away from its' body, his eyes still open. Raditz blasted the tall, bulky, orange-haired soldier through the heart, not even bothering to look over as Racoom's body slumped to the ground. He glanced over as Burter and Jeice took off, yelling that they were getting their captain. He sneered, watching them go.

Raditz' focus jerked towards the prince, the man's eyes widening. Vegeta's body became still, his tail swaying slightly before wrapping around him.

"Nappa's energy is gone," Vegeta stated, his voice devoid of emotion.

The prince took off, Raditz right on his heels. The long-haired saiyans' heart was pounding in his chest, apprehension sliding down his spine. He swallowed, the only thought running through his mind was getting back to the ship as fast as he could.

Back to the woman.

Raditz felt something slowly swirl in his chest, disrupting his breathing. It took him a moment to realize it was fear.

He had a feeling that he was too late.

He didn't even glance over at Nappa's body once they landed, just sped into the ship. There was nothing he could do for his comrade anyway. It only took him a moment to reach their room, bursting through the door. He didn't even pay attention to the large dent he put in the door, just glanced around wildly. He spun, a hiss of breath coming out of him as he slammed the bathroom door open.

"Brat!" he shouted, swallowing when he didn't hear anything.

"Hey," Raditz said loudly, "woman, get your ass out here!"

His voice ricocheted back at him, his heart sinking. Raditz ignored the feeling, narrowing his eyes as he made his way back outside. He swallowed again, meeting the prince's gaze as his feet touched the ground once more.

"She's gone," Vegeta stated, his gaze unwavering as Raditz nodded. The prince finally looked away, his eyes narrowing as he looked up at the sky. He finally turned back to the third-class after several minutes.

"And I take it you want to go after her," he asked, the tone unreadable.

Raditz swallowed, a muscle clenching in his jaw. He slowly nodded this time, not saying anything.

Vegeta muttered a few curse words, a frustrated sigh leaving him. "You damn baka's," he snapped softly, his eye twitching. His muscles clenched as he crossed his arms, his features hardening.

"I felt Zarbon's pansy ass over there," Vegeta stated, tilting his head slightly. "Along with that spiky bitch Dodoria," he paused for a moment before smirking, "Why don't we pay them a visit. See if they would like to _talk_."

Raditz nodded, his shoulders' visibly relaxing a little. He glanced once at Nappa's body, before taking off after his prince, neither speaking as they made their way across the water.

XXX

The ship landed, absolute silence descending for a few seconds before the door opened, touching the ground with a small bang. The warrior stepped forward, stopping at the threshold and taking a deep breath, closing his eyes. He opened them, glancing around. There was rustling behind him, a moment later a curse word rendered the air.

"Why don't you leave that Bulma," he said, "We can always come back for it."

The blue haired woman straightened, huffing a little as she put her hands on her hips.

"Goku," she said loudly, "I need this stuff! I just forgot how heavy it was, that's all."

She grunted as she picked it up once more, gritting her teeth as she slid it over her shoulder. "Besides," Bulma puffed out, "most of this stuff is yours!"

Goku let out a short chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Well," he said, sending her a small smile, "hand it over. I'll carry it for you."

Bulma let the pack fall with a sigh, the bag landing with a loud bang. "Okay," she said, bending to take a capsule out, "here Goku."

All she heard was silence.

Bulma looked up, a brow raising at the hardened expression on her friends' face. She swallowed as his hands clenched.

"Goku?" she said weakly, her gaze not moving as she heard Gohan walk up beside her.

"Hey, dad?" Gohan said softly, also staring at his father. "What's wrong?"

Goku took several minutes to finally answer. "I feel some massive powers," he stated softly, his head jerking to the side a moment later.

"They're headed this way!" he said loudly, his fists raising to his waist. Gohan and Krillin ran up to his side, frowns on their faces.

Bulma listened to the man, her face whitening. _Oh God! I'm too pretty to die!_

She focused on the three at the door as they jerked in surprise, their bodies tensing even more.

"What is it guys?" she asked weakly, swallowing hard.

"They..." Krillin trailed off, his eyes widening.

"They have Athea!" Gohan stated in surprise, his throat working.

Goku didn't say anything, his brows narrowing before he suddenly took off.

"Wait, Goku!" Bulma yelled, "You have to protect me!"

She ran to the entrance, fear coursing through her as Krillin and Gohan followed the tall man.

"You guys!" Bulma shouted, sinking to her knees, a whimper coming out of her.

"I'm gonna die without a boyfriend," she whined softly, her eyes watering. Bulma sniffed, before she started crying in earnest. "I'm gonna die alone without brushing my hair!"

XXX

Goku landed a few feet from the man smoothing his hair, and the pink one with spikes. His gaze went to Athea, who looked petrified. Gohan and Krillin appeared on either side of him a moment later. Goku took a step forward, meeting the girls' eyes as they shifted over towards him. Her eyes widened.

"Goku!" Athea shouted, thrashing wildly to get out of the tall aliens' hold. "Help me! They want to _eat_ me!"

Goku froze for a moment at her words, completely stunned. They were using the girl as _dinner_!? He felt nausea rise in his throat, tamping it down before gritting his teeth. _Not my friends!_

"Let her go!" he stated loudly, his voice firm as he narrowed his eyes a little more, watching every move the two aliens' made.

A slight smile appeared on the tall, green haired mans' lips. "Oh look Dodoria," Zarbon said, his eyes lighting up, "more entertainment."

The pink spiked alien chuckled, sitting the dragonball in the seat of his pod, running his tongue over his mouth.

Krillin let out an "Ugh", a grimace appearing on his face. Gohan's eyes narrowed, his hands clenching.

Dodoria took a step forward, his smile turning into a grin as he looked over, watching off towards the right.

Goku and the others also looked over as two more people landed. His eyes widened.

Vegeta and Raditz stared at them for a moment, before a small sneer appeared on the long-haired saiyans face.

"Hello again brother."

No one spoke for a moment, silence descending on the odd group.

A blast suddenly rendered the air, piercing the pink alien between the eyes.

A trail of smoke curled from Vegeta's fingers, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"That takes care of him," he stated softly, slowly lowering his arm as his eyes shifted to Zarbon and the girl resting on his shoulder.

Before anyone could move, the green haired soldier threw Athea into the space pod, quickly climbing in after her. The door shut as Raditz raced towards it, a roar coming out of him.

Goku and the others watched in disbelief as the saiyan bashed the door with his fist, leaving a good size dent in the metal. The pod door bent, cracking down the middle. A whirring sound echoed around them as the small ship lifted in the air, surprisingly slow as it ascended. They could hear Athea screaming through the gaps made by the pissed off saiyan rushing towards the pod.

Raditz snarled as he flew above the thing, his lip curled back, the sight of his canines making the two young warriors on the ground shiver. Goku watched with interest as his brother clenched his hands together, raising his fists above his head before thrusting them down, smashing the top of the round space ship. Goku's eyes widened a little before he took off, heading towards the white pod racing towards the ground. His brother got there first, an enraged look on his face. Goku landed beside him, absently wandering exactly what happened in the months the girl had been in the others' presence. The man was acting too pissed about the green haired alien kidnapping Athea.

Goku tensed as the bottom of the ship raced towards them, jerking in surprise when it stopped suddenly, inches from his face. He blinked, staring at the sight of his brothers' fist embed in the metal. He watched as a trail of blood trickled down the man's arm, feeling sort of detached from the whole scene.

"Dad!"

"It's okay Gohan," Goku said absently, "Stay there," he commanded softly, watching as his brother slowly extracted his arm, the metal ripping into the muscle and tendons along his arm. A hiss escaped the man.

Raditz let the pod fall, moving out of the way. Goku watched his eye twitch at the sound of Athea's shrieks, hearing his teeth grind as he stalked towards the pod. The long haired saiyan ripped the door off, a terrifying snarl coming from him. Goku narrowed his eyes as the green haired man was jerked out, the saiyans' massive fist smashing into his face. Goku watched as Raditz beat the crap out of the man, his eyes wild. The saiyans' tail was slashing angrily, wildly going back and forth and slapping the ground. He took a step forward, but halted when Vegeta appeared beside the two, kicking Raditz off the man.

"Shut up!" Vegeta snapped when Raditz jumped up, snarling. "Go to the damn girl while I take care of this pussy," he stated, looking down at Zarbon.

The alien soldier scrambled to get away, and Vegeta grabbed him by his armor, turning him. A malevolent smile appeared on the prince's lips, watching in delight as fear appeared in the man's eyes.

Goku made his way towards his friends, watching the scene as he scratched the back of his head. He was silent as he landed beside Krillin, the two shorter warriors staring, slack jawed in shock.

"Dad," Gohan said softly, still staring down at the scene.

Goku made a small noise, watching also.

"Um...do we need to...um, help Athea?" the boy asked, his brows furrowing.

Gohan finally looked over at his father when Goku stayed silent. The man had an unreadable expression on his face, watching as Raditz gently pulled Athea out of the wrecked ship, the young woman having passed out from fear.

"We'll wait," Goku stated softly, ignoring the surprised looks from Gohan and Krillin. "I want to find out what's going on," he whispered, his brows narrowing.

Goku raced down towards the prince, halting the mans' arm that was thrust back, ready to deliver the death blow. Vegeta snarled, slowly turning his head, his eyes snapping.

"What the _fuck_ do you think your doing, you third-class trash!"

Goku clenched his jaw, holding the saiyans' gaze. "Killing doesn't solve anything," he stated firmly, his grip tightening when Vegeta tried to wrench his arm away.

"Get the hell off me!" Vegeta roared, finally jerking his arm free and back handing the taller saiyan in the jaw with his fist.

Goku's head snapped back on impact, falling back several feet. He powered up, gritting his teeth. He lifted his gaze, meeting the shorter saiyans'.

His hands balled into fists as he took a step forward, watching as surprise appeared in the shorter saiyans' eyes. They suddenly narrowed to slits, the man's tail thrashing and slamming the ground. A sneer appeared on Vegeta's face, right before he thrust his arm forward, his hand going through the alien soldiers' chest. It burst out the other side, blood and meat flying over the ground.

Goku gasped in surprise, his eyes taking in the gruesome scene. He took a hesitant step forward.

"Kakkarot!"

Goku halted as Raditz walked up to them, not even batting an eye at the sight of Zarbon, Vegeta's arm halfway through his body. The long haired saiyan was holding Athea close to his chest. His eyes snapped as he stopped a few feet away from Goku, his tail coming unraveled from his waist. It wrapped around Atheas' legs, the man seeming not even aware of it.

"What the hell do you think your doing!?" Raditz bit out, his lip curling a little. His gaze flitted towards the shorter man. "Excuse my brother sire," his eyes moved back to Goku, "his ignorance is showing."

Vegeta let go of Zarbon's armor, the body smacking the bloody ground. Neither spared the corpse a glance. The prince crossed his arms, his tail wrapping back around his waist. He slowly looked over at Goku.

"It seems to run in your family Raditz," Vegeta stated in a nasty voice, his eyes still glinting in outrage.

Raditz stayed silent, a muscle twitching in his cheek. Goku looked from one to the other, before glancing at Athea.

"You need to let her go," he stated softly, his gaze jerking up at the fierce growl.

Raditz rolled his upper lip back, his arms tightening around the womans' body.

"Fuck you," the long haired saiyan stated, his incisors flashing.

Goku studied his brother, noting the way the man was holding Athea, how protective he was acting towards her. Goku's brows furrowed. _What the hell's been going on between those two!?_

After studying the surly man for another moment, Goku made up his mind, slowly straightening. He let out a small sigh, glancing at the slashes on the older saiyans' arm. He turned, gesturing for them to follow.

"Come on," he said, lifting in the air.

"Why?" Raditz asked, watching him suspiciously.

Goku sighed again, folding his arms as he glanced back at them. "Just come on. I've got something that will heal that right up," he explained, gesturing to the man's blood drenched arm.

Raditz grunted, watching his brother fly off before looking over at the prince.

"Sire?" Raditz said, unsure as to whether his prince was going to follow or not.

Vegeta shot him a look, glaring after the tall earth saiyan before slowly following.

Raditz glanced down at the unconscious woman in his arms, his brows furrowing as he lifted his hand and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. His focus went to his arm, studying the already dried blood and ripped skin. He grunted again, before lifting into the air and following his prince.

Krillin and Gohan watched, disbelief on their faces as Goku flew past them, the shorter saiyan following a moment later. They were still watching as Raditz flew passed, Athea clutched in his arms. Gohan and Krillin glanced at each other, before hurrying after the men. Krillin swallowed, fear sliding down his spine.

"Man," he whispered, glancing at the boy flying beside him, "Your dad is my best friend, but Gohan..." he let a nervous laugh out, "he's crazy. What the heck is he thinking!?"

Gohan didn't say anything for several seconds.

"I don't know Krillin," he stated softly, furrowing his eyes at the saiyans' in front of him.

Goku landed outside their ship, pausing and waiting for the two saiyans before slowly going up the steps. Something barreled into him, skinny arms wrapping around his waist.

"Goku!" Bulma sobbed out, her voice loud and scratchy. "You're alive!"

Goku let a nervous chuckle out, scratching the back of his head before lightly patting his friends' back. "It's okay Bulma," he said softly.

"Okay!?"

Goku winced at the loud screech.

"Okay!?" Bulma shouted again, untangling herself from him and planting her hands on her hips. Her face was furious. "How is it okay when you guys left me here to _die_!?"

"What the hell is that obnoxious screeching!?"

Goku glanced behind him, studying the shorter saiyans' face. The man looked slightly put out. Goku cleared his throat, reaching over and snatching the small bag off the table by the door.

"Here," he said, handing a bean to Raditz. "It will heal you," he explained at the suspicious look the man shot at him. His brother slowly took it, hesitating before throwing it into his mouth, his other arm still tightly wrapped around Athea.

Goku looked over at the other saiyan again, noticing the shorter man was glaring at Bulma, who's eyes had widened.

"Uh, this is Bulma," he said, gesturing to his blue haired friend, "She's a friend of mine."

"And Bulma," he said, studying the blushing woman as he gestured to the shorter saiyan, "this is..." he paused, not knowing the man's name.

"Vegeta," the flame haired saiyan stated firmly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Prince Vegeta."

Goku heard Bulma squeak a little, her hands grasping the front of the jacket she was wearing.

"It's nice to meet you," she breathed out, her gaze roaming over the prince intently.

Vegeta studied the woman for several seconds.

"Nnh."

XXX

~Chapter by GVLuver~


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